Spirited Away
by kongosoha
Summary: AU based on Miyazaki's movie. Ten-year-old Kagome finds herself stuck in a world of spirits and demons after jumping down the well with her mother and grandfather. When both adults undergo a strange transformation, she has no choice but to work at Urasue's Bathhouse and try to save them.
1. Homecoming

**Homecoming**

Kagome couldn't believe they were back in Tokyo.

Holding the bouquet her friends had given her tightly to her chest, she looked around the courtyard with an expression of sadness and remembrance. She'd lived at that shrine until she was five; then, her father had gotten transferred to Osaka.

Now that Papa was no longer with them, though, Mama had no reason to stay in Osaka with a ten-year-old and a three-year-old.

"Grandpa is old and lonely, sweetheart," Mama had said. "Family must stick together."

 _We're not a family without Papa, anyway_ , she stubbornly thought.

Why must she lose her friends, too?

Kagome sighed, blinking back tears. She could hear her mother and grandfather walking around the house, probably settling their things in their old rooms. The girl knew she must've been helping, but she felt too dejected to do so.

Walking down to the Goshinboku, she jumped over the short fence to put her goodbye flowers on the sacred tree's roots. It had watched over her family for generations, Mama had told her.

 _Maybe Papa got sick because we were too far from it…_

Not wanting Mama to see her cry again, Kagome shook her head clear. Intent on cheering up, she decided to reacquaint herself with her surroundings. _I think I liked it here before._

When her eyes rested on the well house, the girl knew she simply _had_ to check it up. She vividly remembered Gramps saying that the Bone-Eater's Well was where they disposed of demon bones in the times of yore _—_ whatever that meant _._

With a mixture of excitement and fear, Kagome went over to the wooden door of the old construction.

"Maybe I shouldn't," she mused out loud, tugging at the pink ribbon on her hair.

"What are you doing, young lady?" Grandpa's voice came from behind her.

Turning around quickly, Kagome shuffled her feet on the ground. "I-I just wanted to see the magic well, Gramps."

Mama was standing a little to the side, laughing quietly. Kagome lifted her head and gave her a guilty smile.

"We should let her, Father," the woman said, putting her hand on the elder's shoulder. "She won't leave it alone."

"But you _always_ said you didn't want her playing in there!" Grandpa reminded her exasperatedly.

"That was because she was too little! She could've fallen, and—"

"She still looks little to me!"

 _Speaking of little..._ "Where's Sota?" Kagome asked.

"He's taking a nap in his new room," Mama answered, and the girl noticed that the light in her eyes dimmed a little.

Sota cried all the time since their father's passing five months ago. _I bet he was crying now, with the new house and all..._

"Okay!" Kagome said fast, not wanting to see her mother become sadder. "Take me to the well, Mama!"

* * *

The air inside the small house was still ( _old_ ), giving it an even darker atmosphere.

"It was supposed to be sealed!" Grandpa huffed indignantly. "Who could've opened it?"

"One of the stonemasons, perhaps?" Mama guessed.

The elder grunted, putting his hands on the wooden edge of the well and looking down at the bottom. Kagome and Mama followed suit.

"I can't see anything," the girl remarked, feeling a little disappointed. Part of her had wanted to see the bones.

"You can't always see the danger, child," Grandpa said ominously. "It doesn't mean it isn't there."

Kagome crossed her arms, resting her chin on them. She rolled her eyes at Mama, and the woman tried to frown while suppressing a smile.

Immediately after letting her gaze drop, Kagome jolted up, tightening her hands on the wood.

She was seeing something that couldn't really be at the bottom of the well—it was impossible. A light breeze blew on the girl's short hair, making her blink at the blue sky below.

* * *

 **A/N:** It's short, since this story will be told in bits, but hopefully you enjoyed it! If you follow me on tumblr, you know I have two other segments ready, and they'll be here when the time comes. :)

As always, I'm immensely grateful to anyone reading this! If it isn't a bother, tell me your thoughts on it.


	2. The Empty Village

**The Empty Village**

"I think I hear a train," Mama remarked, cupping her hand beside her ear.

"This—this is a once in a lifetime opportunity!" Grandpa exclaimed, patting his clothes and looking around at the green expanse of the field. "I always knew the well was magic!"

Kagome blinked up at her mother, tightening her hold on the woman's arm. She felt dizzy from that blue light, from having been _sucked into it_.

"Mama, let's go back," she pleaded, glancing behind her at the well. Every nerve in her tiny body was screaming at her to run. People got sucked into wells no more than little girls fell through rabbit holes, or their houses landed on witches. Those western stories weren't real.

 _What's wrong with them?_

"I can see the Goshinboku," Grandpa said, pointing at the canopy of a familiar-looking tree. "We should go to it," the elder decided, starting forward without waiting for their reply.

"Father," Mama called, and Kagome thought her eyes were clearer than before. "Maybe we should call someone. This… this is crazy."

"Yes!" Kagome agreed, her heart beating like a frightened bird's.

"But the Goshinboku is just past the treeline! We can take a look and go back."

 _We can take a look_. Those had been her grandfather's words when he saw the blue sky at the bottom of the well, after he'd calmed down enough to complete a sentence. Mama and Kagome had had to follow him down, even though the girl hadn't wanted to. She'd been the last one to jump over the edge, calling her mother as she looked back at the opened door of the well house.

 _Why are they like this?_

She watched the stone statues of old entities out of the corner of her eye. She knew what they were; her grandfather (and now she) lived in a shrine, after all.

Their sightless eyes seemed to accompany them as they walked to the treeline, but only Kagome sensed this omen—and what could a ten-year-old do?

* * *

The Goshinboku looked exactly the same, minus the short fence, and with more prominent roots.

"Okay, Gramps, we saw the tree," Kagome said, tugging at her mother's shirt. "Now let's—"

"Is that a village?" Mama asked in awe, refusing to acknowledge her daughter's efforts.

"It seems they're having a festival…" Grandpa commented. "We can take a look, then we go back."

"No!" Kagome stomped her foot. "This is all wrong, Mama—can't you _feel_ it?"

"I'm sorry, Kagome, but we can't just leave," Mama argued, looking down at her with impatience. "Something extraordinary has happened to us!"

"What about Sota?"

That seemed to make the fog in her mother's eyes diminish.

"We've barely been here for ten minutes," Grandpa huffed. "The boy will still be asleep when we get back."

* * *

The village was empty.

Ancient-looking huts stood side by side with colorful market tents, and the smell of food made even Kagome's mouth water. Paper lanterns had been draped over the dirt road, but they weren't lit yet (it was still the middle of the day). Kagome had an awful feeling that they were intruding, like inconvenient guests arriving too early for a party.

"Look at all that food! Oh, it looks good…" Mama trailed off, approaching a tent which had a balcony filled with different dishes.

"I happen to be hungry," Grandpa said, standing beside her and eyeing the food. "Hello! Is anyone here?"

"Mama, you can't eat this food!" Kagome protested.

"Would you go get my wallet for me, darling? Our house is so near!"

"And call Sota," Grandpa added, already sitting on one of the stools in front of the balcony. "He can't miss this!"

Horrified, Kagome stepped away from them, tugging at the hem of her baggy shirt. She refused to eat the food.

 _I need to find help_ , she decided. _People will be angry!_

Climbing the stone stairs at the end of the main road, the girl found a huge red house with green rooftops. Smoke was coming out of its metal chimney, but no one was around.

"Weird…"

As she stepped on the wooden bridge that connected the courtyard to the mansion, she heard a train passing beneath her. Just as Kagome leaned over the edge to look down, a strange boy with red robes appeared right beside her, seemingly out of thin air.

He looked angry, and he had— _are those dog ears?_

"You shouldn't be here!" He spat, looking equal parts angry and afraid. Kagome backed away as he came closer. "Go back!"

"W-What?"

"It's almost night! Go, before it gets dark!" He urged, his unusual golden eyes glaring at her.

As if on cue, the sun began to suddenly set, and the paper lanterns lit themselves up. _What? Now? B-But how?_

"Ugh," the boy groaned, turning to face the mansion. "Go away! I'll distract them!"

When Kagome saw his ears pinning back at whatever was coming their way, she ran.

* * *

 **A/N:** Let's be honest: a child wouldn't be thrilled at discovering a magic land like this. They'd be scared to death (in fact, Chihiro was a little afraid in the movie, and she wasn't even sucked into a well). Lol.

Anyways, leave me a review *winks*


	3. The Dog-Boy

**The Dog-Boy**

Kagome was disappearing.

As she silently cried from her hiding place in the roots of the sacred tree, the little girl thought about how her moving day had turned out.

She'd ran as fast as she could back to her family, the urgency in that white-haired boy's eyes never leaving her mind. The paper lanterns were lit, as were the tents and huts, and Kagome could see shadows moving about, turning their misshapen heads to her as she passed them by. She never felt more terrified in her whole life—but that had changed when she saw the two pigs sitting where her family should've been, wearing their clothes.

Having nothing left to do, Kagome had ran to the well out of desperation, stumbling in the darkness of the forest—only to find out it was filled with water. Standing up on the edge of the Bone-Eater's Well, she considered diving in, but couldn't bring herself to jump.

 _No, no, no, no…_

Having ran out of options, she'd went to the Goshinboku, desperately seeking something familiar amidst the chaos. Her hands were bruised from tripping so many times, but she couldn't feel the pain anymore. Looking down at them under the moonlight, she'd seen why: they were vanishing.

Now shaking from fear and grief, Kagome pretended she was back in Osaka, in her bedroom, sleeping. This was all a bad dream, and she'd soon wake up to find that Papa had never died, that Sota wasn't alone in the shrine, that they'd never moved back to Tokyo, that she'd never jumped into the magic well.

She knew these were lies, though. Osaka was miles away from Tokyo, and Tokyo was a world away from where she was.

Kagome was a child, she was alone, and she was dying.

* * *

Toga found the girl hidden in the roots of the god tree, curled up in a tight ball.

It had been easy to track her down; no one else could've had that human, _girly_ scent. The boy sighed, twitching his little nose as he knelt to look at her ghostly form. She wore a pleated green skirt and a large white shirt with a green stripe on it. He would've been able to see all of this regardless of his powerful eyes, for she was already shining like a spirit.

Extending his arm toward her shoulder, he touched her. The girl lifted her frightened brown eyes to him and gasped.

"Don't be afraid," he said. "I wanna help you."

"No!"

He sighed again. "Look, if you don't eat something from this world, you'll disappear!"

"NO!"

She batted his hand away with her own, only to panic even more when she saw hers passing through his.

"Eat this," Toga said, taking a small rounded candy out of his baggy sleeve. "And relax; you won't turn into a pig."

When she wouldn't take it from him, he leaned into the hole and put it in her mouth. They didn't have time to lose.

"Chew and swallow," the boy instructed. He leaned back and watched as she did what he said. After a second, the girl sat up, grasping the roots to look at him.

"You're fine now," Toga guaranteed. "See for yourself, okay?" He lifted his small clawed hand in front of her face, twitching his ears. Hesitantly, the girl touched his palm with her fingertips.

"I can touch you!" She said in awe, eyes shining with gratitude.

"Of course," Toga snorted, giving her a small smile. "Let's go now!" He took her hand and hauled her out of the roots.

"A-Are my mother and grandfather really pigs?" She asked from behind him, struggling to keep up.

 _She's too slow._

He stopped, looking at her from over his shoulder. "Yeah, but don't worry—you'll see them again." Toga said. "Climb on my back. We'll get there faster this way."

* * *

Kagome held her breath when the boy stepped onto the bridge that led to the red house, hiding her face in his white hair.

He'd told her she'd be under a spell while they crossed it, which would make her invisible as long as she didn't breathe—not even a little.

"We're almost there," the boy whispered.

Daring to lift her head, Kagome saw all kinds of demons passing by them: frogs, ducks, foxes… and one she couldn't identify.

It wasn't walking, but it seemed to follow them with its ruby eyes. It wore a kind of Noh mask, and its long, curly hair seemed to mingle with its black cloak.

It made her extremely nervous.

"MASTER TOGA!"

"Jaken," the boy grumbled from beneath her.

The green imp startled Kagome with its sudden proximity, making her gasp.

"Where have you—" the little demon started saying, straightening its pointy hat. Its yellow eyes immediately rested on the girl's face, peeking over the boy's shoulder. "A human?"

"Sankontesu!" Toga yelled, extending his hand to the imp's face.

Kagome barely had time to see the red lights coming out of his claws before they were flying.

* * *

 **A/N:** Inuyasha thinks of himself as "Toga" because, just like Haku, he doesn't remember his true name. He will in due time, though lol.

I mixed Kagome's and Chihiro's clothes. I didn't get a chance to mention it yet, but you bet her shoes are yellow! :)

Thank you for reading this segment. If possible, please review!


	4. The Boiler Room

**The Boiler Room**

 _Listen carefully, huh? After I'm gone, pass through that tiny gate on the wall over there. Take the stairs all the way down. You'll find the boiler room. Look for Totosai!_

 _Ask him for work. If he refuses, keep asking, got it? If you ain't working, Urasue will turn you into an animal._

As Kagome prepared herself to climb down the seemingly endless stairs in the darkness, with no handrail to help her, she went through Toga's words. The chilly wind picked up from below, making her baggy shirt and skirt fly wildly.

 _Remember I'm your friend, Kagome_ , he'd told her when they'd been hiding in the garden, after the fiasco on the bridge.

 _How d'you know my name?_

 _Keh_ , the boy had frowned a little, his golden eyes growing distant. _You told me, I guess._

 _No, I didn't_ , Kagome thought, swallowing as she clasped her sweaty hands on the wall to keep her balance. The train she'd heard earlier that day ( _is it really the same day?_ ) passed below her just as she started her descent.

 _My name's Toga, by the way_ , he'd told her before leaving. People had been calling him incessantly from behind the sliding doors, and Kagome felt hopeless as she watched him disappear inside the house.

The feeling hadn't passed.

Realizing she couldn't bring herself to climb down while standing up, Kagome sat on the wooden stairs and tried to move again, sitting on one step at a time. She slipped and yelped, closing her eyes to block the view of the crooked pathway.

The girl gulped, cautiously putting her foot on the next step. It turned out it was a loose one.

She had no choice but to use the momentum to run all the way down—screaming.

* * *

An old man with the biggest eyes Kagome had ever seen was sitting on a platform in front of the hearth, moving his six arms about. It was obvious that he wasn't human.

Small, black, rounded creatures walked from the back wall to the fire, tossing tiny charcoal pieces in there— _sootballs?_

"Um… Excuse me," Kagome started awkwardly.

The demon turned to fix his eyes on her, his white ponytail flipping slightly from the movement.

"Hmmmm?"

His huge eyes seemed to see into her soul, small pupils shining under the firelight.

"A-Are you Master Totosai?" The girl asked. "Toga sent me. Please, let me work here!"

Before he could answer, four purple strings dropped from a trapdoor above his head, each of them with a wooden rectangle dangling from the edge.

The old man sighed heavily. "All at once?" He grunted. Then, he banged his wooden hammer on the wheel. "Back to work, everyone!"

As the tiny creatures began to walk out of their holes on the skirting board, Kagome renewed her plea: "Please, please, let me work here!"

"I've got all the help I need," Totosai said, assessing her briefly before turning to the hearth. "There's demonic soot everywhere!"

 _Those things are demons, too?_ The girl thought alarmedly, trying harder not to step on them. She felt foolish dancing around like that, doing nothing useful, but Master Totosai had totally dismissed her presence.

 _The work's no picnic, but it'll protect you_ , she recalled Toga saying, his ears twitching as if to emphasize his point. _Urasue can't complain if you're working._

At that precise moment, one of the demonic sootballs dropped its charcoal piece. Kagome set her jaw, bent over and caught it in her hands. She would show Totosai that she could work.

Upon seeing her success and how faster she was able to get to the hearth and back, all the sootballs decided to drop their cargo at once. Kagome blinked at the confusion on the ground, backing up against Totosai's platform—she couldn't possibly get _all_ of them, after all!

"Get to work, runts!" The old demon banged his hammer again. "And you watch it, girl. You can't just take someone's work this way! The bathhouse won't keep them if you do."

Before Kagome could apologize for her thoughtlessness, she heard something ( _a door?_ ) slid open on the opposite wall.

"Chow time!" A woman's voice came from Totosai's right.

"Well, hello, Sango," Totosai greeted. She heard the stranger give him something. "Food, everyone!"

Kagome watched as a teenager emerged from behind the platform, crouching with a basket to feed the soot. Her brown, straight hair caught the glimmer of the fire. Her green apron suggested she was a maid.

It didn't take long for her to notice Kagome standing there.

"It's the girl!" She said alarmedly, jumping up. "They're having a fit about her upstairs!"

"She says she needs work, but I don't need any help," Totosai said unfazedly. "Could you take her to Urasue for me?"

Kagome and Sango were both about to protest, but Totosai resumed, "this girl can handle herself."

"You'll see."

* * *

 **A/N:** You may have noticed I'm changing Haku's personality a little to better fit Inuyasha's. I don't want to make it too drastic, though!

I plan on writing the next bit from Urasue's point of view, but we'll see...

Thank you for reading, and leave a review if you can, please! :)


	5. What's In a Name

**What's In a Name**

From the moment the human child stepped on Urasue's floor, her scent wafted from the elevator door to the office.

It irritated the sorceress immensely.

Urasue had been going over some contracts, listening to the snapping fire and combing her hair with her fingers. It was a peaceful night; Shippo was blissfully asleep, as were the three little monkey spirits which served her.

The pitter-patter of the girl's feet on the hallway came a few seconds after her honeysuckle scent.

Never one to drag out the inevitable, Urasue pulled the child to her with a gesture of her hand. The monkeys, who were still children in their own way, immediately got up from the carpet when she burst through the door.

"Do you want to play with us?"

"Look at her; of course she does!"

"Do you like aprons?"

"What a racket!" Urasue snapped. "Could you be quiet?"

They wouldn't dare disobey; the human was left alone, fidgeting in front of the hearth.

"Please," she hesitated, "let me work here!"

Urasue eyed the child skeptically from behind her desk. She looked like any pampered ten-year-old: soft skin, rosy cheeks, hands that had never seen a day's work.

The sorceress smirked, narrowing her red eyes for effect; then, she magically zipped the child's lips.

"Stop you babbling. Why do I need a weakling like you? The few humans I have here are enough trouble."

She made muffled sounds and tugged at the end of her green little skirt.

"Millions of spirits and demons come here to rest. Your family, my goodness, certainly had some nerve! Gobbling our guests' food like a couple of pigs," Urasue paused, deliberately turning her head to the wall where her scythe was hanging on.

The girl visibly paled when she followed her gaze.

"Trembling, are you?" Urasue clicked her tongue. "I'm impressed you made it this far. I must thank your friend—who was it?"

As soon as she undid the spell, the same plea was thrown her way: "please, let me work here!"

"Not this again!" the sorceress grunted.

" _Please_ , let me work here!"

Urasue got up from her chair in a blind rage, but Shippo's wailing stopped her short.

The ogress flew to the adjacent door. She hadn't known what she was getting herself into when she adopted the fox demon. Shippo was rather tiny, but he made a point of transforming into a pink balloon (or playing havoc with his toys) to pester her whenever she was around.

Even though she'd been fast, he managed to turn half the door to splinters with his huge spinning top.

"MAMA IS COMING!"

* * *

"Should I sign here?"

"Where else? Quit dilly-dallying!"

In the end, Urasue had no choice but to hire the girl, as always happened when someone asked her for work. She'd been made to take an oath before opening the Bathhouse, but few people knew about it— _very few._

Adjusting her headband, she waved about the room to fix Shippo's damage. Books, jewelry, and potion glasses flew in a whirlwind of color, placing themselves on their respective shelves. She lifted the magnolia lamp manually, not wanting it to be in touch with her velvet curtains a minute longer.

"Finished?" Urasue gestured for the contract the girl had been signing on the floor. It flew swiftly to her hands.

"Ka-go-me," she read. "Is that it?"

"Y-Yes," the girl stuttered as she stood.

Urasue took in her short black hair, her chocolate eyes, her fair complexion.

"Kagome, Kagome," she drawled. "You're no more than a bird in a cage." _And the Bathhouse is a cage_. "Your name is too long—fancy. From now on, you'll be called…" she paused, "Kikyo."

Nodding to herself, Urasue brushed her fingertips greedily over the girl's signature. As the delicate pen lines moved to do her biding, the house owner lifted her eyes to see the shadow of a pout on her employee's lips— _defiance_.

"Understand, Kikyo?"

The child startled.

"Answer, Kikyo!"

"Y-Yes," she exhaled.

 _How easy it is_ , Urasue mused, _to make people forget who they are._

Satisfied, she pulled the bell cord dangling near her desk to call for Toga.

* * *

 **A/N:** I know Yubaba sucked a part of Chihiro's name into her hand to turn it into 'Sen', but I figured that wouldn't work for 'Kagome' and 'Kikyo' (even if it did, I wouldn't know how to describe the kanji changing).

Leave me a review, please! :)

Ps: If you read _Frozen Heart_ , know that I'll update it soon! This one has been easier, but after writing _Adult Supervision_ , I think I'm ready to finish the next chapter of FH lol.


	6. Two-Faced

**Two-Faced**

The silence in the luxurious elevator was deafening. Kikyo observed Toga out of the corner of her eye, wondering why he was acting so aloof.

The girl had gotten herself hired to work at the bathhouse like he'd instructed. She wanted to talk to him openly now that they were out of Urasue's sight, but the boy seemed to be a total stranger to her. Sharing the tiny space of the elevator with that big wolf demon— _Ryokan, was it?_ —on her way to Urasue's floor had been more comfortable than this.

Toga was Kikyo's only friend in that strange world, her only chance of seeing her mother and grandfather again. She needed to talk to him, no matter how awkward she felt.

The girl swallowed, lifting her eyes from her yellow sneakers to look at his back. "Toga, I—"

"No chip chat," the boy interjected. "And call me _Master_ Toga."

Kikyo recoiled at his words, trying to make herself smaller. The strange dog-child didn't move to acknowledge her—not even his ears. She stared at his white hair for a moment longer before looking down at her shoes again.

 _Is this the same boy who helped me before?_

* * *

"I'm afraid I can't believe Urasue gave an order like this," the bathhouse manager said with a smirk. He was a dark-haired young man with violet eyes and a soft voice. Kikyo had almost— _almost_ —believed he was a good person. "She wouldn't have hired another human," he concluded, adjusting his green, pointed hat.

"She already signed the contract," Toga said, his dark eyebrows furrowing.

Kikyo was momentarily overwhelmed by the outraged whispering of the staff gathered around them. They already didn't like her, and she hadn't even opened her mouth!

"I-I'll work hard," she said, bowing as low as she could without kneeling.

"Don't send her to us!" One of the heavily garbed women said. They were large, tall, imposing— _not human, either_.

"She stinks to high heaven!" Another agreed, using her fan to cover her mouth.

"She won't stink after three days of our food," Toga reminded them. "If she doesn't measure up, do with her whatever you want!"

Kikyo couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

The staff's whispering turned to quiet laughing.

"Now, back to work," the boy ordered, making Kikyo wonder if he were truly a child. "Where's Sango?"

"What? You're dumping her on me?" That brown-haired teenager Kikyo had met before asked from the corner of the room. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, her brown eyes as hard as Toga's, a slight scowl marring her face.

Kikyo felt like weeping.

"You wanted an assistant," Toga recalled.

"That's right! Sango's just perfect," the violet-eyed manager chimed in, looking at said girl and winking.

"Ugh," Sango groaned, rolling her eyes.

Toga turned to her. "Go, Kikyo."

"Y-Yes, sir," she answered in an eyebat.

"What a pain… You're gonna pay for this," Sango hissed at the dog-boy.

"Keh." Toga turned and left after that, behaving like a true foreman.

Sango pulled Kagome by her wrist around a corner, stopping without warning to hug her as soon as they were out of sight.

"I can't believe you did it!" She whispered to the girl.

 _It seems I have at least one friend_ , Kikyo thought, burying her face in Sango's belly.

* * *

Kikyo had barely slept a blink. Trembling from the cold, she'd been pondering her situation as she listened to the easy breathing of the sleeping maids.

As Sango took Kikyo to the dormitory the previous night, she warned her to be careful around Toga. _He's Urasue's apprentice_ , the elder girl had cautioned, _and her lackey!_

 _I thought he was my friend_ , Kikyo thought dejectedly.

The door of the dormitory was softly opened. The child held her breath and closed her eyes in fear, sensing someone approaching her through the futons on the ground, walking over the women.

A warm hand touched the covers she was hiding under.

"Meet me at the bridge," Toga's voice whispered in the dark. "I'll take you to your mother and grandfather."

He was gone in a heartbeat, leaving her wondering if he'd really been there.

* * *

Kikyo walked out of the boiler room and climbed the crooked stairs to the bridge. She still wasn't sure if Toga had really entered the dormitory, but she'd gotten up and dressed in her new working clothes nonetheless.

The girl stopped short before she could set foot on the bridge.

There was a masked, long-haired figure standing there. Kikyo had seen it before, staring at her at that very place when she was supposed to have been invisible. She noticed a spider marking on the mask's forehead, its purple hue standing out against the white. Her eyes traveled down, catching the demon's crimson gaze, and she swallowed.

Kikyo took a deep breath and ran to cross the bridge. The demon followed her with its eyes, but it did nothing else.

Once she was at the other side, the girl looked back over her shoulder—finding an empty bridge.

"Follow me."

She startled, realizing Toga was right behind her. Kikyo looked at his golden eyes inquisitively, noticing how _different_ the boy seemed outside the Bathhouse. He didn't give her time to ask anything, though, turning around and walking straight to the nearby flower bushes.

She jogged after him, keeping her eyes glued to his white pointy ears.

* * *

Two fat pigs.

That's what her mother and grandfather had been turned into, after all. The girl had hoped against all hope that it had been just a sick joke meant to scare her.

Kikyo's knuckles were white from gripping the iron fence so strongly. Yesterday they were people, yesterday they had been safe at the shrine, yesterday she'd been back to Tokyo without her father, _only yesterday_.

"Mom! Grandpa! It's me… K-Kikyo!" There had been a moment's hesitation she couldn't understand before she said her own name, as if she'd been trying to lift a heavy veil from her mind. "Are they sick? Are they hurt?"

Toga entered the pigsty and stood beside her. "They're just sleeping. Their stomachs are full," he explained. "They don't remember they were even human."

Kikyo felt her eyes stinging.

"Mom, Grandpa, listen to me! I promise I'll save you!" The child said determinedly. "Don't get too fat—they'll eat you!"

She ran out of the pigsty in desperation.

Toga found her a few moments later, sitting behind one of the flower bushes.

"Hide these," he said, extending his hand. The boy had somehow saved her clothes, the ones she had had to discard to put on her new maid's garb.

Kikyo gasped and accepted them earnestly, hugging the folded green skirt and large shirt to her chest.

"I thought they were gone!" She looked up at him from her spot on the ground. "Thank you."

He shrugged, giving her a tiny smile and sitting down, too. "It's for when you go home."

Fumbling with her green skirt, she found the goodbye card her friends had given her the day before.

"Ka-go-me," she read just like Urasue had. "Kagome—that's my name!"

Toga nodded, his ears twitching. "Urasue controls us my stealing our names," the boy explained seriously. "You're gonna have to be Kikyo in there, but don't forget who you really are."

Kagome nodded. "She almost got my name… I-I was turning into Kikyo!"

Toga's eyes softened, making him look much older than ten. "Without your real name, you'll never find your way home," he said, quickly looking away. "I don't remember mine anymore."

"You don't?" Kagome asked with sympathy.

"Keh." He shrugged, looking at her again and smiling. "It's strange, but I didn't forget yours."

The girl tried to smile, but ended up crying instead. Toga gave her a few rice balls and just sat there, saying nothing. She could tell he wasn't very good with words, but he offered her comfort the only way he knew how—and it was enough.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yes, Miroku is the manager, and I think it strangely suits him? Lol.

Naraku is the Faceless Spider, my version of No Face for this story. Just like I did with Urasue, I wanna write a chapter from his POV, too.

I hope you're enjoying this, guys. Let me know, please! :)


	7. Faceless

**Faceless**

As the cold rain fell from the sky, the Faceless Spider stood alone in the garden—watching.

The night had fallen. Through the sliding doors of the Bathhouse, he could see the maids running about to prepare for the guests' arrival, their sweat-covered brows glistening under the golden light.

 _She_ was there, too, dragging a piece of cloth across the wooden floor—back and forth, back and forth. She was always the last one to complete the turn around the room.

He had showed himself to the new human girl for the second time when she went to meet the dog-child earlier that day. She seemed happy then; now, it looked as if she were another person.

The Faceless Spider had never seen such sad, sad brown eyes. They made him curiously restless, as if his soul were stirring inside the shadows of his body for the first time in the _longest_ while; as if his shadowy heartstrings were being pulled.

He knew they would shoo him away if they found him there; he wasn't welcome anywhere, and he didn't remember why. The Faceless Spider had always led a peaceful, _invisible_ existence—not only because people were afraid of him, but because he had observed them so much that he had lost interest.

Until the tiny girl with the frightened brown eyes crossed the bridge on the dog's back.

She, like himself, was an outcast. She, like himself, didn't belong in the Bathhouse; but she, unlike himself, was human—and he found it fascinating, having only met a few of them in the Spirit World.

When the girl slid the door open to empty the water from her wooden bucket, the Faceless Spider showed himself again, curious to see what she would do.

She looked straight at him as her head snapped up, mouth agape.

He wondered if she would scream, and what it would sound like if she did.

The girl blinked. "Aren't you getting wet?" She asked, tilting her head.

If he looked slightly up, he could see droplets of water hanging from the eyeholes of his mask, shining against the light that came from inside the house. Could a shadow get wet? It felt like it, but he had never felt it so acutely before—perhaps because no one had ever asked.

Her asking made him aware of it.

"Kikyo, come on!" Someone called.

"I'm coming!" Getting up from the ground, she offered him a small smile. It was a kind one, and it was solely directed at him. "I'll leave this open." She turned and left after that, her short curls swinging as she did so.

 _Kikyo._

The Faceless Spider accepted her invitation—he had nowhere else to be, anyway.

* * *

 **A/N:** A very short one, but I really wanted this scene to stand alone. Thank you for your reviews, guys. Please, keep them coming! :)


	8. Kikyo's Debut

**A/N:** I know I updated this story three days ago, but it was such a short chapter, I didn't see any reason not to update again! :)

* * *

 **Kikyo's Debut**

"Sango, Kikyo, the first customers are coming!" Koga warned them, adjusting his pointy black hat and patting his yellow robe. The wolf demon put on his most brilliant smile and turned around, ready to welcome their guests.

"All right, already!" Sango huffed, dropping the brush with which she'd been scrubbing the filthy tub. "This is harassment," she grumbled under her breath.

Kagome blinked at the older girl, not sure what she should do. The both of them had been trying to clean the big tub for at least half an hour, but they had reached a point where it wasn't getting any cleaner. The sludge—courtesy of their dirtiest customers, Sango told her—just wouldn't go away.

"Go to Miroku and ask for a tag," Sango instructed, holding Kagome by the waist to help her climb out of the tub.

"A tag?" Kagome asked, trying hard not to lose her balance on the rounded rim of the tub.

"For a herbal bath," Sango elaborated.

Kagome ran from their bathing room, her bare feet snapping loudly against the polished wooden floor. On the hallway, she could see the silhouettes of the Bathhouse attendants through the green screens, all getting ready for their customers.

She pumped her skinny legs faster.

* * *

Tents were closing and lights were being put out at the village. All the shadow-merchants were turning invisible or disappearing behind their flapping doors.

No one wanted to serve a Bloody Spirit.

They had seen many of those before—souls of tormented soldiers who couldn't move on after dying in combat. They were violent, unpredictable, vengeful, and poor.

Who would want such a customer?

The Bloody Spirit wasn't reacting to their rudeness as expected, though. It wasn't turning over tables or screaming with ire; it simply kept walking slowly, even regally, in spite of the many arrows and spears stuck to its back.

The rain washed over its wounds, which still bled, but not enough to clean. Mud stained its clothes, its hair, its armor—a combination of filth, earth and blood, forever covering it like a mantle.

It was a sad predicament and they pitied it, but not enough to come close. They pitied it, but not enough for it to interfere with their lives.

If they helped every Bloody Spirit that came from the mortal world, with its endless, pointless wars, they would go bankrupt in no time.

They needn't worry, though; the Bloody Spirit wasn't interested in their tents. Beneath the mud, the blood and the stink of death, its golden eyes shone, looking straight at the Bathhouse ahead.

* * *

"I am sorry, but it's too valuable to waste," Miroku told Kagome in-between 'welcomes' and 'thank yous' directed at the customers. Like Koga, he had his best smile on, but his eyes became slightly annoyed when he looked down at her from his tall desk.

"B-But she said we needed a herbal bath," Kagome insisted, resisting the urge to stomp her foot. Sango wouldn't like it if she came back to their assigned bathing room without the tag.

Miroku wasn't paying attention to her anymore, too caught up in playing host—and giving away tags to the guests. Before Kagome could try asking again, a familiar masked face materialized itself beside him. It nodded politely at her, and she reciprocated the gesture.

The crimson eyes behind the mask shone brighter. Miroku seemed to notice her greeting to the space beside him, but the spirit wasn't there anymore when he turned his head.

The phone on the manager's desk rang. "Yes?"

Without warning, one of the red wooden tags flew swiftly from the hook behind him to Kagome's small hands. She thanked him, even though she knew it wasn't his doing, and turned quickly away.

* * *

"With water that murky, who's gonna see the sludge?" Sango winked.

Kagome nodded half-heartedly, still massaging her aching rump. In her hurry to give Sango the tag, she'd slipped and fallen.

Sango had opened a small door on the wall, attaching the tag at the end of a purple string. _This goes right to Totosai_ , she'd said. Afterward, a few wooden boards detached themselves from the wall, revealing they were a single square-shaped pipe.

As Kagome pulled on the cord which dangled from the end of the pipe, it started filling the tub with steaming water.

"Yank it again when it's full," Sango instructed before leaving to get them some food.

Kagome was standing on the rim of the tub when she saw something dark out of the corner of her eye.

It was the masked spirit again.

The girl gasped and slipped, sliding down the side of the tub and hitting her head on it. "Ouch!" She held the back of her head, wincing.

The mysterious figure wasn't deterred by her show of clumsiness. It started approaching her, so she got up. Its long, dark hair and shadow-cloak stood out so much in the light colored room that Kagome had to blink.

She opened her mouth—to thank it for the tag or ask it if it needed anything, she wasn't sure—when it suddenly extended its arms—arms she had never seen before, coming out from the shadows.

 _It's a he_ , she thought, noticing the shape and size of his arms and hands. His skin was so pale it seemed to shine.

He was holding at least half a dozen tags.

"Um—?"

"Ah," he said in a deep voice, shaking his hands. The tags clacked together, and the sound snapped Kagome out of her daze.

"T-Thank you, but you already gave me one."

His gaze seemed confused. "Ah," he said again, shaking the tags harder.

"I'm sorry, but I don't need them." Kagome shook her head, lifting her hands to deny his offer.

"Ah..." His eyes were guarded as he started vanishing. The tags fell to the floor.

 _He can't speak?_ The thought came unbridled to the girl.

She suddenly felt water pooling at her feet. Kagome gasped for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, turning around to yank the cord and stop the flow.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, the girl took a deep breath. She could hear some kind of commotion coming from the hallway—people running. She went to the separating screen and poked her head out to see what was happening.

"Sango and Kikyo, Urasue wants you!" Koga yelled at her, still trying to adjust his pointy hat. "She's at Miroku's desk!" His blue eyes were a little wide and he wasn't smiling, which made Kagome uneasy. "A Bloody Spirit—and just when the mutt isn't here to chase it away…" The wolf demon mumbled as he hurried off.

Kagome didn't understand; wasn't this the _Spirit_ World, after all?

 _What's happening?_

* * *

 **A/N:** I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am, guys. Don't forget to review, please, and make an author very glad to know you're reading. :3


	9. Kikyo's Success

**Kikyo's Success**

 _Pay attention_ , Urasue had said, her impossibly big red eyes narrowing. _This is no ordinary Bloody Spirit._

Kagome didn't know what the sorceress had meant with that; she wasn't even sure she knew what a normal Bloody Spirit was (though she could guess). The girl was currently dangling by her waist over the rim of the tub, trying to reach the handle of another sword sticking out of her client's back.

She had already taken out four of them.

The water was red and grey from all the blood and mud. Though he wasn't clean yet, Kagome could tell his hair was white— _like Toga's_. His eyes were also golden like her friend's; they had been the first thing she noticed upon his arrival at the Bathhouse. She had locked gazes with him while the other workers fled from his path, apparently not realizing what Urasue seemed to have. People were acting as if the spirit would go crazy at any second, which didn't help Kagome's nerves.

When he took off his spiked armor and dropped it on the floor, everyone seemed to flinch. Kagome was grateful he chose to leave his clothes on—not that he had much choice, what with all the weapons pinning it to his body.

Looking up, Kagome saw Urasue and Miroku watching her from the balcony on the second floor. Other employees had stopped working to watch her progress as well, including Sango, who held one bowl of food in each hand. She had a horrified expression on her face; Kagome suspected Urasue had told her not to come down to help.

 _This is a test_ , she realized. _Oh, God, I'm just a kid!_

 _If you ain't working, Urasue will turn you into an animal_ , she remembered Toga's boyish voice warning her.

The feeling of steel sliding out of flesh and the sight of oozing blood turned her stomach. Kagome's hands were shaking, and she almost fell into the tub once or twice—it was the big one, and it was only halfway full, the water having already reached her client's chin as he sat.

She was startled when he lifted one of his arms to take a spear out of his side. Apparently, she wasn't being fast enough— _or maybe he doesn't like being treated like a baby._ He gave her the spear without turning to look at the girl, and she tossed it out of the tub.

After what felt like hours, they finally got rid of all the swords, spears, and arrows that had been hurting him. No one said a word; even the whispering of the workers had died down at the sight of so many weapons carelessly tossed on the ground. Kagome couldn't imagine the pain the spirit ( _or demon?_ ) must have been feeling—without so much as wincing!

There was one sword, though, that he couldn't seem to dislodge: the one in his own hand. He had a death grip on its handle, and purple veins connected it to his arm. Kagome swallowed hard not to scream; she hadn't been able to see clearly through the dirt before. He turned his head and looked at her from over his shoulder, and the girl immediately understood he was requesting her help.

Kagome got down from the tub and climbed again on the other side, facing him. It occurred to her that he could've just turned around, but of course she wouldn't suggest it. With a quick, nervous glance at his face, she extended her hand toward his arm and touched it.

A hissing sound made her jump and almost fall.

"Souunga," he said in a baritone voice, speaking for the first time. "Stop."

The hissing stopped. Kagome looked at him again.

 _Is that a moon on his forehead?_ She mused. His face was still a little dirty.

"We will have to tear it out," he decided.

Kagome's face paled when he started running his claws through the veins in his arm. Blood was dripping in the water, making it even murkier. She tasted bile in her mouth.

Shaking her head clear, the girl slid down the side of the tub and found herself an arrow.

 _This will do!_

* * *

Kagome felt the eyes of the petrified staff on her as she worked, tearing up veins with the point of her arrow as gently as possible. Her silent, stoic client didn't even blink through the process; he kept his motions steady, also tearing veins with his claws. Once they were cut, the sword seemed to retract them as if they were tentacles.

 _So the veins aren't his_ , Kagome thought, noticing the wounds the tentacles left in his arm. The idea of a living sword scared her, but it didn't surprise her—not there.

When it was finally over, he put the sword on its scabbard, which was still at his waist. Kagome quickly climbed down again and sent a herbal bath tag to Totosai through the small door on the wall, eager for the actual bath to start so she could be done with it.

"You may leave," the guest said without warning.

Kagome waited for the wooden pipe's descent and pulled on the cord to let the water run. Muttering a polite "excuse me," she left the room to wait outside the dividing screen.

When she stepped into the corridor, Sango immediately ran to her.

"Are you alright, Kikyo?" The older girl asked, searching Kagome's face with her brown eyes.

"I'm fine, just tired." Kagome sighed. "He didn't want me to help him get clean."

"Urasue wouldn't let me come help you!" Sango grumbled.

"I-It's okay."

They both stood there in silence as people resumed their activities, no longer interested in watching the scene from the balcony; there was nothing new about a customer bathing in a _bathhouse_ , after all. Urasue was the only one who didn't abandon her post, still staring like a hawk.

When the sorceress eventually moved, Kagome knew her customer was finally done. She turned around to walk back inside the screen, but he was already standing there behind her, his spiked armor back in place over his wet clothes.

She heard Sango inhale.

Kagome was still a ten-year-old girl, but she knew a handsome— _beautiful_ —man when she saw one. He was a demon, there was no mistaking it; but she'd never seen another like him. His hair fell down his shoulders like white silk; he had delicate features and pointy ears, and there were two magenta stripes on each side of his face. A purple crescent moon marked his forehead, making him look even more otherworldly than demons like Koga, who didn't have any tattoos.

Without saying a word, he lifted his fisted hand. Kagome's snapped up to catch his offering: a necklace made of four fangs and dark purple beads.

She looked at him questioningly, but he didn't explain what it was. Urasue approached them then, bowing respectfully to the stranger.

"I will leave you my enemies' weapons as payment," the demon stated. A few employees exchanged greedy looks. "I shall go now."

"O-Of course, my Lord," Urasue stuttered. She turned and ordered the curious onlookers to open the front gates; the demon lord was ready to leave.

Sango grabbed Kagome by the back of her collar and pulled her away. As Sesshomaru's figure started to shift, everyone went to the reception. Just when Kagome couldn't see him anymore, a humongous white dog _grew_ from his general direction, undoubtedly knocking over a few compartments. Its snout pointed at the gates that had been opened on the balcony.

It looked around with its huge red eyes, seemingly searching for someone. Kagome noticed it still had the purple moon on its forehead, and that alone made her believe the creature was indeed her customer.

After a few seconds, he floated gracefully to the gate and flew into the rain, leaving an open-mouthed crowd behind.

Urasue seemed shaken to the core by their customer's appearance, but still she managed to smile satisfactorily at Kagome.

"Well done, Kikyo!" The Bathhouse owner bellowed. The staff and the customers lingering around seemed to agree, giving her approving nods and small smiles.

"He even tipped you," Sango remarked, pointing at the beads fisted in Kagome's hand. "It's a subjugation necklace—but God only knows why a demon would have one of those!"

"What does it do?"

"If you put it around a demon's neck, you'll have some control over them." Sango lifted an eyebrow. "I doubt you'll ever use it, working here and all."

Kagome shrugged, eyeing the necklace with open curiosity. "I think it's pretty…"

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello, guys! I'm back.

If you guessed dog-Sesshomaru was looking for Inuyasha before he flew away, you guessed right. Like Haku in the movie, though, Inuyasha wasn't there. You'll see why next time!

Don't lose your sleep over the subjugation beads; I won't make a child slam another repeatedly into the ground! The necklace will be needed in only one situation.

Thank you for reading, and **please** , review! :3


	10. The Maid And The Manager

**The Maid And The Manager**

"Want some?" Sango offered as she sat beside Kikyo on the balcony. "I just swiped them."

 _She really should eat_ , Sango thought, noticing how the bones of the child's shoulders were pointing out. _She's so scrawny!_

"Thanks!" Kikyo grabbed the scone and started chewing on it, looking up at the moon that shone over the dark sea.

"What a day!" Sango sighed, lying down on her side and holding her head with one hand. She took a scone from the plate and started eating, too.

"Toga missed the whole thing," Kikyo murmured pensively.

Sango's eyes snapped to her profile, watching for a second as the breeze played with the girl's short black curls. _What's with this kid and the dog-boy?_

"Not Toga again..." She grumbled, closing her eyes. "Sometimes he just disappears. They say Urasue makes him do bad things."

"Really?" Kikyo asked, not sounding very convinced.

The train passed below them over the water, making small waves in its wake. The rails were completely submerged because of the pouring rain that had fallen earlier. Both girls watched as the wagons made their way West, eventually disappearing.

"Lights," Kikyo whispered in awe, scrutinizing the horizon. "I never thought about the rest of the Spirit World…"

 _We never do_ , Sango thought sadly, albeit a little irritatedly. _We fall down the well, and the Bathhouse becomes our reality._

Both girls were silent for a few minutes, gazing at the distant lights of the city. Sango could only imagine what it must be like to be free, walking along those colorful streets.

"I'll get into that train someday," she said suddenly. "I'll get in, and I'll never look back."

She looked at Kikyo out of the corner of her eye, but the girl didn't seem to be paying attention to her words. She was now looking at the moon with a soft smile, the scone in one hand and the subjugation beads fisted in the other.

Sango caught herself smiling, too. There was something about Kikyo, she didn't know what it was… just being with the child gave her hope.

* * *

Sango got up earlier than the other maids on the next morning, intent on going to the kitchens to talk to her little brother. She hadn't had the chance to do so in a while. After making sure Kikyo was warm enough under the covers, she dressed quietly and left the dormitory.

She stopped on the balcony for a second to gaze at the newly-formed sea. Sango couldn't be sure, for it was still dark, but she thought the water had already started to drain. Sighing regretfully, she straightened her shoulders and started climbing down the wooden stairs to the guests' quarters.

 _No time to admire the view_ , she thought. _I need to see Haku and tell him of my decision._

Turning around a corner, she was startled out of her thoughts by bumping face-first into something purple and hard. In the blink of an eye, strong hands were clutching her shoulders, steadying her.

"Good morning, Sango," Miroku the Manager greeted, his indigo eyes roaming her face. "It's unlike you to act so careless. Is something the matter?"

Sango blinked a few times before stepping back, wanting to put some distance between them. She frowned at him, but Miroku kept smiling softly at her. Ever since she'd started working at the Bathhouse (and God only knew how long ago that was), Miroku flirted with her every chance he got. It used to make her uncomfortable, seeing as he was an employee of a higher status, but then it started just pissing her off.

It pissed her off because she knew Miroku was an ambitious man, not to say a little greedy. He would never take a maid like herself seriously for anything other than flirting…

And she, in spite of herself, might like him _just_ a little too much.

"G-Good morning, Master Miroku," she stuttered, letting her frown drop. "I can't talk now, sorry; gotta see Haku in the kitchen."

"Your brother?" Miroku asked, his face suddenly concerned. "Did something happen?"

 _There he is_ , Sango thought, allowing herself to drink in his attention for only a moment. _The Miroku who cares._ Then, her eyes traveled up to his black pointy hat, and that was enough of a reminder of his station. _And he's still the manager._

"I have to go." Sango sighed, unable to lie. _Something did happen, Master Miroku. I decided I'm leaving. I'll find a way, he and I._

She shivered when passing by the manager.

"I know your brother's true name."

Sando stopped dead in her tracks. Turning back around slowly, she fixed her wide eyes on him.

"Don't lie!" She all but screeched.

This was very, very serious. _It could mean H-Haku's freedom!_

She would never, ever forgive Miroku if he were joking.

"Hush!" The man approached her in two quick steps, his hands fiddling with his purple robes. "I was in Urasue's office yesterday as she organized her folder of contracts," Miroku whispered urgently. "Your brother's happened to be on top of the others."

Sango shook her head as Miroku stepped closer still.

"Is that why you're here?" She asked with suspicion.

He nodded once. "I came to tell you before you started your chores."

There was a pregnant pause in which she begged him with her eyes, _begged_ him to tell her what Haku's real name was.

Miroku seemed to listen.

"His name's Kohaku."

Sango's head reeled under the unstoppable force of the memories coming back, and she had to lean back against the wall.

 _No, Kohaku, Mama won't wake up._

 _Kohaku, come here! Father is calling you!_

 _Damn it, Kohaku, we're late for school!_

 _Don't go in there, Kohaku! The well house is old; it could fall apart!_

She opened her eyes again to see Miroku's face was even closer than it had been. He wasn't looking at her mouth, though, as she would have expected; he was looking in her eyes, seemingly trying to control his anxiety.

"Do you remember your name now?" He asked seriously.

Sango shook her head. _My face is wet._

"No," she managed to get out, "but that's not important. I'm finding it out. Even if I don't…" she sighed. "Even if I don't, I'm setting Kohaku free." Looking into Miroku's eyes, she hardened her stare. "I'll follow him as soon as I can. I'll take the train West, and I'll never come back."

There was a brief silence after that.

 _Why did you say that?_ Sango asked herself frantically. She didn't know what to expect of him now. Was he loyal to Urasue, even though he'd told her Kohaku's name?

Had he ever been truly loyal to the witch at all? Had any of them, for that matter?

"If you have to take a one-way trip," Miroku murmured, "I would rather go with you."

Sango blinked the moist out of her eyes. Could she have heard it right? Was Master Miroku, the manager of Urasue's Bathhouse, really saying he would leave his position to embark with a maid and a kitchen boy on a one-way train?

"There will b-be no t-turning back from that," she stuttered.

Miroku shrugged, his eyes softening. "There's no turning back from _this_ , either."

Under the wooden stairs that led to the servants' quarters, a manager kissed a maid—and she kissed him back.

* * *

 **A/N:** No, I didn't forget about this AU! Is anyone still there? Is anyone still reading this?

Well, anyways... I thought Miroku and Sango deserved a chapter before I resumed following the movie plot.

Take a few seconds to tell me what you think, please! :)

Ps: Miroku flirts with Sango, but doesn't grope her here. It wouldn't sound right, since he's Sango's manager and all.


	11. Swarm Of Wasps

**A/N:** I'm so glad you guys are still reading this! As a thank you for reading and reviewing (and because I didn't update in so long), I'm posting another bit! I hope you like it. :)

* * *

 **Swarm Of Wasps**

 _Kagome was running so fast that the flowers from the bushes seemed no more than a colorful blur to her._

 _She arrived at the pigsty and grabbed hold of the chilly iron fence. Her eyes searched the pink, chubby faces of the pigs to see if she could find her family. She had something important to tell them, she was sure of it…_

 _But what was it again?_

 _"_ _Mom! Grandpa!" She called. "Where are you?"_

 _One by one, the pigs lifted their heavy heads and turned to her, twitching their thick ears. Small, black, unintelligent eyes regarded her as if she were a nuisance. She inhaled deeply, frightened._

 _"_ _Mom?" Kagome tried again, a little louder this time. "Grandpa?"_

 _All the pigs slowly advanced toward the fence, saliva dripping from their mouths. They started screeching at the girl, pushing the iron fence, and Kagome heard it snapping._

 _She didn't know where her family was. She couldn't recognize them. They were lost._

Kagome woke up with a start, her small hand flying to her throat. She blinked a few times at the ceiling of the dormitory before sitting up slowly, pushing the covers away.

"Where is everyone?" She wondered aloud. All the futons were empty, including Sango's.

 _That's strange_ , Kagome thought, walking quickly to the public wardrobe to find her orange maid's uniform. _Sango always wakes me up._

Getting to the balcony, she saw smoke coming out of Totosai's chimney. Kagome didn't even stop to admire the blue sea sparkling in the daylight; if Totosai had already started heating water, the baths were already taking place at the guests' quarters.

 _I must be so late!_

The girl climbed down the stairs two steps at a time, fearing Master Miroku or Master Koga, his right arm man, would be angry with her (though neither had ever given her a second glance). Getting to the lobby, though, Kagome realized there was a high chance they wouldn't even notice her.

All the employees were running around frantically, carrying trays of steaming food on their heads. People bumped into each other and screamed at one another to get out of the way, sometimes dropping golden pebbles from their pockets in the process.

"Bring all the food!" Master Miroku yelled from the middle of the commotion, his hat crooked. "Even the leftovers! We need all the food we can get!"

Kagome had half a mind to try to reach him and ask what was happening, but Sango appeared out of nowhere, grinning, and leaned into her.

"Look!" The older girl put a small golden pebble right under Kagome's nose. "It's _gold_ , Kikyo!"

Kagome blinked, her mouth shaped into an 'o'. Before she could ask about it, Sango resumed, "A customer arrived very early and demanded Master Miroku wake everyone up! It seems he's filthy rich." She paused, her expression contrite. "I'm sorry I didn't wake you, Kikyo, but I was already downstairs when it happened, so I stayed here."

"I-It's okay," Kagome blurted, not really minding that Sango hadn't woken her to work. "Do you need me?"

Sango shook her head. "No other customers have arrived yet. You should come serve the rich man, too! He's giving gold to anyone who does."

Kagome wasn't the least bit interested in it, though. _If I can have free time…_ "I think I'll go see Master Totosai... "

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Sango sighed, rolling her eyes. "He's in a bad mood because he had to start working earlier than usual."

"Oh."

Kagome didn't know what to do. It was obvious there was no work for her, since no other baths were taking place. All the employees seemed to have dropped their schedule to tend to the rich new customer who gave away gold.

Sango smiled and turned away with a little shrug, calling Miroku and lifting her arm to show him her gold pebble. He smiled at her, and Kagome thought his eyes were warmer than usual.

With a shrug of her own, she decided to go back to the dormitory.

Kagome climbed the stairs and stopped for a moment on the balcony to gaze at the endless sea. She crossed her arms on the balustrade and rested her chin on them, feeling down.

 _The well must be underwater now_ , she thought. _It was full before, but now, with the rain…_

Her chances of going home seemed even dimmer. She imagined seaweed and sludge slowly growing around the well as it released sad little bubbles.

She was abruptly taken out of her stupor when a white dog the size of a horse came flying from the clouds.

Kagome grabbed the balustrade, straightening. Twenty feet away, the white dog flew madly from side to side, its pointy ears flat against its head. It growled, snarled and thrashed around, trying to get rid of a swarm of wasps that stung it, each the size of a chicken.

Her mind was completely blank; she didn't even run.

The dog's white fur was stained red on several places, and two strange purple stripes marked the sides of its head. It dove into the water with a loud splash; the wasps only hovered over the surface, following it closely. When the demon reemerged, now a little closer to the wall of the Bathhouse, it seemed to look up straight at Kagome.

Her brain started working again when she saw the dog's red, suffering eyes.

"TOGA!" Kagome shouted, her pulse hammering in her ears. "DON'T GIVE UP!"

She was startled by what she'd said. Inhaling sharply, she murmured, "T-Toga? Is it him?" _How did I know it?_

Spinning, the dog flew up to the clouds and down to the sea again, passing inches from her face. She felt the ends of his fur touching her skin as the force of the wind almost brought her to her knees.

Kagome turned to the shoji doors of the maids' dormitory, pulling them open with violence.

"TOGA! GET IN HERE!" She waved her little arms at him.

The dog seemed to understand the girl, making a mad dive in for the balcony.

He passed by her too fast for her eyes to follow. At the last second, Kagome stepped inside too, closing the shoji doors on the wasps. Three of them managed to enter the room, but the others only pierced through the doors with their stings, unable to pass. Toga hit the back wall with a deep thud that seemed to shake the house, turning over futons in his wake.

Kagome ducked to avoid the three flying beasts, getting instinctively closer to where Toga lay. With two snaps of his jaw and a heavy shove of his paw, the wasps were no longer a problem. Kagome moved closer to the doors on her belly, watching as the insects outside retracted their stings and flew away, their buzzing making her skin crawl. She got up and turned around sharply to look at the bloodied dog, who sniffed the air in her direction and whimpered.

"Toga?" She asked brokenly. "I-It's really you, isn't it?"

The child was momentarily afraid, noticing the dog's fangs as he breathed hard through his mouth, his red eyes opened only a slit. He turned his head from side to side, showing his agony.

"Toga, what's wrong?" She asked, her little body shaking. The purple stripes seemed to stretch at her question, almost reaching the end of his snout.

She suddenly remembered the demon lord from the day before, who could also turn into a dog. He was much, much bigger than Toga.

 _He's really just a puppy_ , she thought, closing in on him.

"What happened to you?" Kagome insisted even though she knew he couldn't answer, trying her best not to cry.

Toga growled, his ears standing erect. Then, with a impulse from his forepaws, he was flying out the doors again, destroying them.

Kagome ran to the balcony and saw Toga losing his momentum, falling several feet. The strong wind seemed to push him back, making him hit the wall of the Bathhouse and fall the rest of the way to the sea.

"Oh, my God!"

Before hitting the water, Toga pumped his paws and went up to Urasue's tower, disappearing from view.

"He's going to Urasue!" Kagome screeched to no one in particular, jumping from one foot to another and twisting her tiny hands in her apron. "What must I do? What must I do?"

 _He'll die!_

She ran to the stairs, hearing the distant buzz of a solitary wasp that still clung to life.

* * *

 **A/N:** I turned the paper birds, as Chihiro called them, into saimyosho (aka wasps), but they have nothing to do with Naraku (the Faceless Spider) in this story! They were attacking our puppy because they can't help but feel attracted to a precious thing Inuyasha has swallowed…

Just like in the movie, Inuyasha, under Urasue's order, tried to steal something precious from a certain powerful witch. Take your guesses and review, please! ;)

Ps: Sango shows her gold to Miroku because, when you plan on having a life together, earning money is good lol.


	12. Make Way For The Rich Man

**Make Way For The Rich Man**

Kagome was out of breath from bumping into the many employees gathered in the corridors. They all had the same elated expression on their faces as they clutched their gold pebbles tightly in their fists. She did her best to make her way through the crowd, stepping on foots and elbowing ribcages as she went.

 _Thank God I'm tiny!_

Finally, she made it to an unobstructed corridor—partially unobstructed, at least. The staff was kneeling in formation on the wooden floor, leaving a wide path in the middle of the aisle; a catwalk of sorts. Everyone was whispering, exchanging expectant glances and turning to look at the end of the staircase on the opposite side of the aisle.

"MAKE WAY FOR THE RICH MAN!"

Kagome was startled by Miroku's voice. The manager suddenly ascended from the stairs to walk between the employees, waving one fan in each hand. He was doing a little dance that made his rich purple robes swish, the smile on his face so broad Kagome thought it would tear his cheeks.

The respectable manager had never looked so foolish in her eyes.

"His ass gets _bigger_ every moment, so there's _plenty_ to kiss!" He sang at a group of maids, winking.

Horrified, Kagome gaped at Miroku, looking from him to the giggling employees. Where was Sango to stop this madness? Were they all so excited they had lost their minds? If Urasue could hear them, if she could _see_ them, the girl was sure she would be livid with their behavior. They would be punished for this embarrassment later, she just knew it!

And speaking of the Bathhouse owner… _I can't stay here!_ The child mentally chided herself. _Toga's in danger!_

Just as she stepped on the opened path, fully intending to shove Miroku out of her way, her resolution faltered. A huge spider, as tall as three men standing on each other's shoulders, was girdling after the manager. It seemed the animal was too big to walk in a straight line, even though it had eight legs to support itself.

" _Beg_ for tips, this is the _time!_ " Miroku kept singing.

As if they had practiced, all the employees touched their foreheads to the ground at the same time, bowing respectfully to the creature. Kagome's first impulse was to run away screaming; then, she noticed the white mask on the spider's tiny head. She also saw that the spider's body didn't look very tangible, like a ball of restless shadows.

She knew this demon. He had been at the bridge when she first arrived at the Bathhouse, he'd been there when she crossed it to go to the pigsty, and he'd been alone in the rain yesterday before she let him in.

Whoever he was, he had given her the bath tag she'd needed to do her job. He had helped her succeed. She wasn't treated like an outsider anymore because he'd given her a hand.

Everyone suddenly sat straight and started yelling to get his attention, lifting their hands, hats, baskets and cups to catch some gold pebbles. The girl knew she should just get away while they were all still sitting down, but she couldn't take her eyes out of the spider's red ones.

 _I should thank him_ , Kagome thought out of the blue, her good manners kicking in. _I don't think I'll ever get another chance. It'll only take a second._

Marching forward, she stopped right in front of Miroku, paying the manager no mind as she looked up at the spider's masked face.

"Thank you for helping me yesterday," she said, bowing her head to the demon.

"Don't speak to him," Miroku hissed. Turning his head to their guest, he said, "I'm sorry, Sir. As you can see, she's human. Sometimes, us humans are—"

Kagome stopped listening. Oddly, she wasn't afraid of the manager anymore. Maybe it had been the dancing, the singing, the way his pointy hat was slightly crooked, or just the fact that he had lost his dignity to her, but she didn't even blink at his command.

In a heartbeat, he wasn't there anymore.

With one of his forelegs, the demon had pushed the manager away, tossing him somewhere to the side. Distantly, Kagome heard people grunting.

The child blinked as the spider lowered itself to look at her face to face.

"Ah," the demon murmured, making gold drop to the floor by rubbing the end of two of his long legs together.

 _He's giving me gold?_

Kagome shook her head in silent denial, stepping back from the pile of pebbles in front of her. Many employees were gasping, shoving each other to get a good look at what was happening.

"Ah!" The spider insisted, a somewhat confused look showing from behind the mask.

Kagome felt her chest tighten at her ingratitude, but she really had no use for gold. She supposed she could give it to her family, but where would she keep it until then? Would she even have a chance to give it to them, for that matter? Would she ever see them again?

 _Gold won't help me_ , Kagome thought sadly _. And I'm in a hurry._ Out loud, she stammered, "I-I don't want any." She gulped. "But thanks!"

The spider's legs started shaking slightly. Embarrassed as well as worried about Toga, Kagome turned around to use the elevator, but she saw Koga, Miroku's right-hand man, blocking it. He had the most stunned expression on his face, as if he thought her insane.

Kagome was a little irritated at them all. What was the use of gold, if Urasue had their names? What would they do with it in the Bathhouse, where they already had food, beds and clothes? What would they even _buy_ here?

The noise, the food, the singing, the presence of the large demon who used to be the size of a man—everything was too much. Couldn't they see something was terribly wrong? Why had the spider gotten so big?

 _Not now, Kagome_ , she told herself. _You gotta save Toga first._

Frowning, she shook her head, running the way she came from. Other people were arriving now, seeking the so-called rich man, so it would be easier to sneak out and climb to Urasue's quarters without having to push a bunch of adults aside.

Kagome could hear the commotion she left behind, but the spider was oddly silent for such a large creature.

Then, the yelling began.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm sorry for taking so long to update! The end of the year is a very busy time, but I didn't want to delay this any longer. I know it's a short chapter for such a long wait, but think of it as me giving myself a little push so I can get the ball rolling again. The story is told in bits anyway, so it fits, if nothing else lol. I'll update it faster the next time!

Again, don't judge our manager too harshly. This chapter was from Kagome's POV, and she doesn't know he plans to run away with Sango.

As always, thank you for reading! Please, please, review! I don't mean this as a threat in any way, but I could use some motivation lol.


	13. Rescuing Toga

**Rescuing Toga**

Kagome wasn't sure if she'd screamed or not. The blood pumping in her ears was all she could hear as she gazed at Toga's still form, lying there on Urasue's persian carpet. His huge eyes were closed, no longer shining red, but she'd rather see them like they had been than the way they were now.

Urasue had just left her loft after speaking to Miroku on the phone. The girl had forced herself to stay quiet in her hiding place, listening to what they were saying.

It seemed the spider was playing havoc downstairs. Kagome felt a pang of guilt for letting the demon in.

"Don't do anything else until I arrive!" Urasue had yelled. Kagome couldn't see her face from behind the heavy door, but she could picture the veins popping in her neck. "This is what your greed has brought upon this establishment! This is what I get for having a human as my manager!"

As the sorceress hit the phone, putting an abrupt end to their conversation, Kagome heard her clicking her tongue. "Toga's bleeding and drooling all over the carpet!" She cursed under her breath. "For now, move him closer to the hearth."

"Y-Yes, ma'am," one of the three little monkeys answered.

As soon as she heard the door closing, Kagome left her hiding place.

"H-Hey!" A monkey yelled. "Intruder!"

The three guardian spirits were standing in front of a very big, very still dog. Kagome ran to her friend as the monkeys scurried out of her way.

"T-Toga, please!" She begged, kneeling beside him and hugging his neck. She valiantly tried to shake him with her skinny little arms. "Wake up, please! We g-gotta get out of here!"

"It's that girl from before," another monkey whispered. "The one who came begging for work."

"We should call Urasue back!" The third brother hissed.

"Please, don't," Kagome murmured, raising her trembling chin to look at the spirit animals. "Help me, please!" _She can't come back in now_.

The monkey in a blue jacket tilted his head at her. "I heard loud noises outside. Was that you?"

"N-No," Kagome quickly denied. _Just the pipes I destroyed climbing the wall._

Toga started snarling low, showing his teeth. The three monkeys stepped back in alarm as the purple stripes on the sides of his head elongated even more, finally reaching the end of his snout. The tearing sound they made as they marked his fur brought tears to Kagome's eyes.

"What are you?" A singsong voice asked from behind them.

Kagome's head whipped around in alarm. Blinking, she watched as a small boy made his way from behind the door she'd used to hide herself.

 _It's Urasue's son._ She suppressed a shiver, remembering how the kid had destroyed a door during her interview. _No. No, no, no._

"Shippo," the first monkey grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Go back to your room, you brat! We'll handle everything!"

"Yeah!" The third brother chirped in. "Go back to your room!"

"SHUT UP!" The child ordered, pointing a small finger at the spirits. They immediately backed away, showing their teeth with hostility.

Then, the redhead turned to blink his huge green eyes at Kagome, swishing his fox tail. He seemed to be no more than six, just like the little monkeys. Since none of them were human, she couldn't be sure.

He sniffed at her. "You don't smell like demon." His brows furrowed. "And most spirits don't have any smell. What are you?" He took a step back. "A germ?"

The little monkeys started giggling.

"I-I'm not a germ!" Kagome protested, tightening her arms around Toga's neck. _I don't have time to lose with these boys!_ "I'm human!"

"Oh. I've never met one before." The demon hunched down, flashing her a smile that showed his baby fangs. "Let's play, then!" He started crawling eagerly to her, like a real kit would do.

"I-I can't play right now!" She was all but begging. "Someone important to me needs help." Kagome looked back at Toga. Remembering her three-year-old brother, she quickly added, "But I'll come back another day, I promise."

"Yay!" The little monkeys celebrated, apparently forgetting all about the fact that she was an intruder.

"If you leave, I'll turn into something big and wreck everything!" The fox threatened, pouting.

"P-Please, don't—"

"Master Shippo, what is the meaning of this?" A new voice asked suddenly, coming from… the ground? "Who is this girl?"

The monkeys fell silent as Shippo looked at the persian carpet. "It's a human, Myoga." He shrugged. "We wanna play. Be a good flea and don't annoy us, okay?"

Kagome spotted a tiny old man jumping up and down in front of the boy, waving his arms. "I can't allow this, Master Shippo! I must tell your mother that we have an intruder here!" He turned to glare at the guardian spirits. "You useless primates!"

Grabbing fistfuls of Toga's white fur, Kagome started searching her mind for a way to get rid of the flea and control the fox. It didn't help her any to know that Toga kept bleeding as the clock ticked away.

A gentle breeze suddenly blew from the window, playing with the curtains.

Without warning or introduction, two little girls jumped from the windowsill into the room.

"Hello," one of them said, surveying her surroundings.

Kagome scrunched her eyes shut. _It's too much_. _Everything's too much! I can't believe this place!_

Though the girls looked human at first sight, they were graceful and ethereal like spirits. They were also very small, but very serious-looking.

The one wearing a yellow kimono with green butterflies approached Kagome in quick small steps.

"Move aside, please," she required politely.

 _What?_

"Um—?"

The other one, who wore a blue kimono with pink flowers, snapped her fingers in Shippo's direction. Kagome didn't even have time to exhale before the little boy had been turned into a very, very small fox.

The kit started circling a nearby table, apparently beyond himself with the situation. He was whimpering a little, too.

"H-Hey! What do you think you're doing?" The flea demanded to know. "Urasue will hear of—"

With another snap of the girl's fingers, the demon flea turned even smaller. His tiny clothes seemed to meld with his body, and he stopped making any sound. Kagome couldn't see him anymore, but she spotted a black dot jumping into the kit's fur.

The girl who'd spoken to her turned to the three little monkeys hugging themselves against the wall. A snap of her fingers was all it took to meld their bodies, changing them into a single scared-looking Shippo.

The copy screeched, pinching its own face. "Run there, run there!" It said to no one in particular, pointing at Shippo's room.

It ran away in an orange blur.

Kagome quickly closed her mouth, bracing herself for what would come next.

"Please, move away," the twin in yellow repeated, apparently finished with her number. "We need the dog."

Hearing that, Kagome moved even closer to Toga. "Who are you?" She asked, frowning. _Spill it out, I'm in a hurry!_

"We are Kocho and Asuka, Lady Kaede's shikigami," the one in the blue kimono answered, standing beside her duplicate. "Lady Kaede is Urasue's sister."

Kagome blinked. "What do you want with Toga?" She bit out, straightening her shoulders. She didn't care about Urasue's sister, she didn't care what a shikigami was; she refused to be intimidated by two girls who looked five years younger than her! "Can't you see something's wrong with him? I gotta—"

"He stole something from Lady Kaede," the one in yellow said slowly, her face unnervingly blank. "A shard from the Shikon no Tama—the sacred jewel."

"It is something very powerful," her sister added. "It's what's making him this way."

"Toga's a good boy—he wouldn't steal!" Kagome protested. _Not for himself._ She relaxed her arms around the dog's neck just a fraction, hope making her ears drum. "You're here to help him, then?"

"We're here to get it back."

Kagome stiffened, clenching her jaw.

That was when Toga's body started vibrating. She could hear him growling on the back of his throat. Suddenly, one of his humongous forepaws hit something on the carpet, opening a trapdoor right under the both of them.

"T-TOGA!" Kagome yelled, holding onto him for dear life.

The fox kit ran from his place under the table and jumped after them, stretching his tiny paws at Kagome. She caught him in midair as the trapdoor closed on the shikigami's expressionless faces.

Kagome inhaled sharply, holding the kit to her chest as she buried her face in Toga's neck. He repeatedly hit the stone walls as they fell, whimpering each time it happened.

 _He can't fly like this!_ Kagome thought desperately, her eyes still tightly shut. _We're gonna die!_

 _Green trees flashed by as they ran. Toga's white hair whipped in the wind right in front of her, and her hands tightened on his shoulders._

A vision? Her eyes snapped open in confusion and panic.

She heard wood splintering.

"WHAT?" Totosai yelled.

They had just fallen through the ceiling of the Boiler Room.

The force of the impact tossed Kagome onto the old demon, sending Toga spiraling to the other side. The white dog hit the wooden bins on the wall with a resonating thud, dropping to the ground on his belly. The entire room shook under his weight.

Totosai coughed. "Fur everywhere—like it's snowing!" He complained. Then, his already huge eyes grew even larger. "What happened to the boy?"

Toga started thrashing and snarling, his red eyes opening a slit. Kagome got to her feet in less than a second, jumping from Totosai's platform to launch herself at the mad dog. The fox kit got out of her shirt and scurried away to the soot holes.

"TOGA, STOP!" The girl pleaded between sobs, holding his jaw closed. For a moment, she thought he would bite her arm off. She pressed her face to his snout. "P-Please, you're hurting yourself!"

Totosai was suddenly beside her, his eyes roaming Toga's body. "Something's making him go wild," the old demon said, panting. "Something dark!"

"What do we do?" Kagome asked breathlessly, feeling every bit the ten-year-old she was. "Tell me what do do, Master Totosai!"

"When a demon goes wild, you gotta subjugate him, girl!" He said. "That's not an easy thing to accomplish!"

 _The beads. Sango said the beads can control demons._

"T-Toga," Kagome murmured. Using her teeth, she pulled the necklace she was wearing from under her shirt. "A demon lord gave me this yesterday. I-I need you to let me put it on you, 'kay?"

His paws started slipping on the floor. Kagome knew he must've been really holding himself back. As he whipped his head, she released his snout to quickly slip the beads on him.

"Kikyo, child, where did you—never mind!" Totosai huffed. "Say a word! If you don't say a word of command, it won't work!"

 _Command._

"SIT!" Kagome yelled. It was the first thing that popped into her head; she really just wanted him to _sit still_.

Toga was knocked forcefully to the ground.

With a final grunt, he stopped moving.

"Oh, God!" Kagome's hands flew to her mouth. "Master Totosai, is he—?"

"Begone!" The old demon shouted, jumping back onto his platform. Stretching two of his six arms, he dragged the twins from the hole in the ceiling.

Holding the girls by the front of their clothes, he brought them down. "Begone, I said!" He yelled again to their faces. "Or I'll hold you down until you run out of spiritual power!"

He promptly launched them back through the hole.

They didn't come back.

Toga groaned, bringing Kagome's attention back to him. The joints of his legs shook as he tried to stand. She rushed to support him.

He spit something; it fell on the floor with a soft click. Then, his limbs started to shrink dramatically.

In a few heartbeats, he was back to being a boy.

Kagome turned the red-clad figure around in her arms. Her eyes filled with tears upon seeing his sleeping face, his flattened ears.

"H-Hey, Toga," she shook him just a bit. One of his ears quivered in response, but he didn't rise.

"Let him sleep," Totosai said. With a sigh, he took a pink handkerchief from his clothes to dry his forehead. "The boy needs all the rest he can get." He turned his head to the object Toga had spit. "You should keep that. The owner will sure come looking for it." The old demon shivered, averting his gaze.

Easing Toga on the floor, Kagome slowly got up to see what it was. The fox kit was sniffing at it from a distance, tilting his head.

A black shard lay on a puddle of saliva, shining like onyx. Grabbing it with her fingertips, Kagome dried it on her uniform.

"Those girls said Toga stole a jewel shard. I guess they were right…" Kagome sighed. "But why's someone making such a fuss over a broken jewel, anyway?"

Totosai approached her slowly, never taking his eyes from the shard in her palm. "This jewel is a powerful weapon, girl. It makes demons grow stronger." He bit the inside of his skinny cheek. "Last I heard it, Urasue's sister, Kaede, had it. I guess the rumors were true."

Kagome fisted the shard in her hand. "So you think those girls will come back looking for it?" She asked like a child would, even though she knew the answer. "Will they hurt Toga?"

Totosai's eyes seemed to swallow her whole. "Those girls are shikigami, spirit dolls who work for priestesses—or witches." He paused. "They have to do what their master says. Besides, even if they didn't come back, shards of the Shikon no Tama attract all kinds of trouble." He scratched his head. "The demons around here must've already felt its presence."

 _The wasps. The wasps were after it._

Gulping, Kagome opened her hand again to stare at the black shard. Reaching a decision, she puffed out her chest.

"I'll take this back to Urasue's sister." She nodded. "I won't let them hurt Toga."

 _Mama and Grandpa will have to wait._

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for sticking with me! I think the story's getting good now, if I do say so myself lol.

This chapter was kinda tough to write. It had many characters and no breaks, so I think it's a little all over the place, you know? But I hope you liked it! Shippo sounds even more childish than he is in canon because, if you remember it, Yubaba's baby had never even left his room. He'll grow, though!

Thank you for reading, and thank you for the kind words in your reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying it! Please, pleeease, share your thoughts on it with me! ;)


	14. The Purest Devotion

**The Purest Devotion**

Sango ran down the stairs two steps at a time. Kikyo simply _had_ to be at the Boiler Room.

Her heart hammered in her chest and her head felt heavy. The Faceless Spider had said quite clearly that it wanted Kikyo. _Kikyo_ , the tiny, shy human girl Sango should've been watching at all times.

Urasue had been livid, her huge red eyes searching the crowd, but Kikyo had been nowhere in sight.

 _FIND THAT GIRL, SANGO! FIND HER!_

Sango hadn't believed what her eyes were seeing. She'd been absent for maybe five minutes, just enough time to hide her gold beneath her futon, and she'd come back to a war zone. Food had been thrown everywhere as the employees ran for their lives, screaming and cursing.

 _It ate Master Koga!_ Someone had yelled right beside her. _And Master Jaken, too!_

Sango halted in front of the short door she used when she brought Master Totosai his meals, struggling to keep her balance. Sliding it open brusquely, she saw Kikyo kneeling there, looking down at someone.

It was Toga, sleeping in a makeshift futon.

Sango saw red, angry that the reason behind Kikyo's disappearance was Toga. It was no secret that he cared for no one but himself; why was this girl so obsessed with him?

"Kikyo!" Sango yelled, marching into the room as only a woman with a purpose can do. Upon seeing the destruction around her, though, the fight left her like water through sieve.

There were claw marks everywhere. Drawers were scattered all over the floor, along with bathing herbs and wood splinters. Looking up, she saw a huge hole in the ceiling, showing nothing but darkness above their heads.

"What _happened_ here?" Sango asked, fixing her wide eyes on Kikyo.

The girl stood up to face her. "Toga's in trouble. I'm gonna help him, like he helped me," she said, begging Sango to understand with those huge brown eyes of hers.

"We don't have time for this, Kikyo!" Sango hissed, desperation clutching at her. "The rich man is asking for _you!_ " She was unable to make it sound like anything but an accusation. "Why does he want you? Do you know what he is?"

The child blinked up at her, frowning. "I-I let him in," Kikyo said meekly. "I thought he was a customer."

Distantly, Sango heard Master Totosai rummaging through his drawers. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself. "He's not, Kikyo. He's a Faceless Spider. It's like—faceless spirits are like—like spoiled children." She paused. "They have no control. He already swallowed two of our people, and I'm sure he won't stop until he sees you!"

The girl became suddenly pale. "He _swallowed_ two people?"

"Found it, Kikyo!" Master Totosai shouted before Sango could reply. He approached them quickly, holding up a row of tickets in front of Kikyo's face. "I was saving them, but…" His small pupils moved to Toga and back to the girl, then to her feet, where a tiny fox was sitting at. "Well."

 _What's this kit doing here?_ Sango thought, puzzled. A completely different thing came out of her mouth, though, once the red tickets dangling from Totosai's hand caught her eye. _Priorities_. "Train tickets," she murmured longingly. "When—when did you get them, Mater Totosai?"

"Leftovers from forty years ago," the demon said with a shrug (an impressive gesture, considering he had six arms). He was still looking at Kikyo, silently demanding her attention. "Now, girl, you must be sure of what you want. If you decide to go, you have to get off the train at the sixth station—Swamp Bottom. That's where Urasue's sister, Kaede, lives." Totosai paused, studying the child. "Make sure you get it right. There used to be a return train, but nowadays it's one way only."

"Sixth station," Kikyo repeated. "Swamp Bottom. Got it!" She lifted one hand to take the tickets, leaving the other fisted against her chest. Sango realized she was holding something there.

"Are you _sure_ , child?" Master Totosai insisted.

"Yes," Kikyo said with a nod. Her eyes were soft and sure, reminding Sango of how Kohaku's used to be before he became Haku. _The look of a half-grown child._ "I'll just walk back along the rails." She gave the demon a small smile.

Sango and Totosai could only stand there, awed, as Kikyo kneeled once more beside Toga. The fox followed her closely, and Sango caught herself wondering about it again, but unable to ask. She felt her throat tighten at the sight of Toga's unconscious face. Without his signature scowl, the boy really looked like a kid for a change.

Did Kohalu look so helplessly small when he slept? She didn't know anymore.

 _Kohaku. The Bathhouse._

"What about the Faceless Spider?" Sango blurted. She felt a little bad for pushing it, but the situation wasn't going to solve itself. Not without Kikyo.

"I'll go upstairs with you," the girl promised without turning, her eyes still glued to Toga. With an earnest expression, she leaned over the sleeping boy. "Toga, I promise I'll be back. You just get better, okay? Just—please."

One of his puppy ears quivered in answer, but he didn't even stir. Something bad enough to knock him out had occurred.

Shaking her head, Sango swallowed. "What—" She gestured openly at the kids, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "What _happened?_ "

Totosai sighed, sounding old and tired. "Don't you understand anything?" He shook his head a little, pulling at his goatee beard. "Love."

That wasn't what Sango meant with her question and Totosai knew it, but his answer startled her enough to keep her quiet. She knew Toga had somehow helped Kikyo get her job at the Bathhouse, even if he did so reluctantly. She also knew Kikyo trusted him blindly, but… They were just children.

Surely children couldn't—

Sango smiled wistfully, trying to remember something she wasn't able to. A peck on the cheek during a hot summer day; a memory that might come back once she heard her true name, if she were lucky.

And suddenly, she understood.

* * *

 **A/N:** Man, I missed writing from Sango's POV! I really like her as Lin for some reason…

Anyways, I hope you're still enjoying this, guys. I know everyone must want me to get to it already, but hey, I have to stick to the original story lol. I don't have much to say about this bit, but hopefully you have something for me! I really enjoy your reviews. I read them over and over and over... Please, indulge me! ;)

Thank you, as always, for reading.


	15. The Final Journey

**A/N:** Sorry for the long wait, my loves. I've had a major writer's block with this story (even though I've watched the movie countless times).

 **Edited:** I had to add a line saying where Kagome was keeping her old clothes and another indicating Urasue's whereabouts.

* * *

 **The Final Journey**

Kagome felt strangely calm as she kneeled in front of the huge spider. Shippo, still in the body of a very small fox, was curled against her bent leg, whimpering. Somewhere in his orange fur, the girl was sure a flea was also shaking.

"YOU LOCKED HER IN THERE?" Sango's indignant voice came from the other side of the sliding doors.

"The room isn't locked, my dear," Master Miroku replied meekly. "She'll be fine! The spirit only calmed down after she showed up. He's fond of her—don't you see?" It sounded like the manager was trying to convince himself as well as the maid.

"THAT'S DISGUSTING!"

"I-I didn't mean it like _that!_ "

Growing restless with their arguing, Kagome tuned them out. While it was true that Master Miroku hadn't thought twice about shoving her inside the room with the Faceless Spider, Kagome knew this situation was her responsibility. She had been the one to let the Spider in, after all, and Mama always said that you should clean after your own mess. Even if Sango hadn't left to fetch Urasue, Kagome would not have cowered behind her to avoid the manager.

 _I gotta fix this, and fast_ , she thought, fisting a handful of her skirt in a surge of determination.

She had hidden her old clothes at Totosai's boiler room, which made it easy for her to quickly change before coming upstairs with Sango. Kagome doubted she would have another chance to get them, and she wanted to leave the Bathhouse as herself—not Kikyo. The yellow sneakers, the pleated green skirt and the baggy shirt were _hers_ ; the maid's garb, though, was _Kikyo's_.

 _"You're gonna have to be Kikyo in there, but don't forget who you really are."_

The Spider swung in her direction, breaking Kagome out of her thoughts. It seemed he could barely sustain his weight, even though he had eight legs. His ruby eyes were fixed on Kagome with an emotion she couldn't read, but it looked similar to the one she saw in Grandpa's eyes when he found money on the street.

Moving slowly, the spirit—more solid than ever—picked up two dishes to offer her. He put them right under her nose, but Kagome didn't even see what kind of food was there. She was running out of time.

"I'm not hungry, thank you," she said politely, shaking her head. The spider tossed the two dishes away unceremoniously. Kagome felt a little angry at the way he treated food, but that was the least of her worries.

The Faceless Spider got closer, making Shippo scurry away to hide behind Kagome. The ends of his long hair brushed against Kagome's knees as he leaned into her, only to quickly step back. She had a feeling he was trying to decide what to make of her.

He started rubbing two of his hands (if the ends of his legs could be called that) together, making gold drop to the floor. It was fascinating, the way it seemed to burst out of his dark skin like a creek bursts from the ground.

Kagome had no time to appreciate his tricks, though.

"Ah," he said, pushing the pile of gold pebbles toward her.

"I don't need it, but thank you." Kagome frowned. "I'm sorry, but I can't stay here long. Please, just—stop scaring everyone."

The girl didn't know how to convince him, so she decided to just say it. Toga was probably still unconscious, and Kaede's shikigami would be coming back for him in no time. She had to return the jewel shard before that happened.

The Spider's eyes widened in outrage behind his mask. "Stay!" He blurted, making her jump. "Kikyo must stay!"

Kagome blinked, her frown deepening. She'd never heard the Spider actually speak before, or show so much emotion. The voice sounded strangely familiar, too…

It clicked. _Oh, God._

 _It's Master Koga's voice!_

That settled it.

The girl jumped to her feet, holding onto the hem of her shirt. "Excuse me, please." She bowed her head and turned, sliding the door open.

Then, Kagome ran.

 _Gotta take him away from everyone_ , she told herself as the hallways and staircases of the Bathhouse passed by in a blur. She could hear the Spider following her close behind, the sound of his heavy breathing telling how difficult it was for him to keep up with her. The screaming of the employees who got caught in his path was also hard to miss.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome caught Urasue's angry face in the middle of the crowd. She also heard Sango shouting "Out of my way!" but she didn't have time to see what her friend was doing. She could only hope Sango was smart enough to keep herself safe.

After a few more turns, Kagome noticed Shippo was hanging onto her calf for dear life, his tiny claws digging into her skin. She bent down and scooped him up, mumbling a breathless "I'm sorry."

"KIKYO!" The Spider yelled in Master Koga's voice, sounding a little closer.

Kagome pumped her legs, paying only half a mind to the strange noises coming from behind her. There was a wet, gurgling sound followed by—vomiting? Then, a loud _thump_ indicated that something very heavy had just hit the floor. _A body, maybe?_ She shuddered.

She tried to focus on finding an exit. Any door would do, or even a window, as long as the Spider was able to pass…

And there it was: a side door, the gap between the wall and the wood shining invitingly with sunlight. She held Shippo tightly against her chest, yelling over her shoulder, "I'M RIGHT HERE, SIR!"

Kicking the door open, the girl hurried outside. She was momentarily taken aback by the blue sea, stretching as far as the eye could reach. It was the first time Kagome saw it up close.

 _I don't think it's drying_ , she marveled. _Wow. The rain was really strong…_

"HEY, KIKYO!"

Kagome blinked down, narrowing her eyes at the glowing water. After the initial blindness passed, she saw Sango there. Her friend was rowing a strange, round boat toward the platform where Kagome stood, a frown marring her face.

"Hop on," Sango ordered as the boat, which resembled a big wooden bucket, came to a stop. The rower, attached to the rim of the boat, was shaped like a wooden 'T,' and it creaked under Sango's hands as she moved it from side to side.

Sango was clearly irritated, sweaty, and maybe a little scared. Kagome could only imagine how much her friend had ran to get there before her.

"Where are we going?" The girl asked as she jumped in. Honestly, she hadn't planned much beyond getting the Faceless Spider out of the Bathhouse.

"I'm taking you to the train station, stupid," Sango snapped. "Where else?" The teenager proceeded to mumble something about crazy kids acting as bait for evil spirits, but Kagome didn't hear it clearly. Out loud, Sango added, "Your friend's following us, by the way."

Turning her head, Kagome watched as the Faceless Spider, now thin, struggled to stand in spite of his evident sickness. His curly hair was wet, which made it look even longer—and darker. His chest was heaving from exhaustion.

 _I didn't know shadows could get wet_ , Kagome thought. Could it be that he was more than a ghost?

"He's not angry anymore," she remarked, waiting for Sango's reply.

The older girl shrugged. "Faceless spirits are like children, as I said. The environment they are in has a lot to do with how they behave." Sango sighed. "With all the greed in there, I guess it's not very surprising he became greedy." She shot Kagome an apologetic look.

The girl only nodded, having nothing else to say.

Sango stopped rowing right beside the submerged railway, which was almost breaking the surface of the water. Kagome spotted small fish swimming over it; a little absurd, but beautiful.

"Can you follow the rails the rest of the way?" Sango asked. "I should go back and make sure everyone's okay—and also make sure Urasue doesn't miss you for at least half an hour." She sounded anxious.

Kagome nodded, taking off her shoes. Holding Shippo and the sneakers in one arm, she used the other as leverage to jump over the rim of the boat. Her bare feet met the rocks under the water with a soft splash, scaring off the fish.

"I've been meaning to ask—who's this?" Sango queried, pointing at the kit.

Following her gaze, Kagome smiled. "Just a friend I made at the Bathhouse."

Sango sighed. "If you say so." She looked a little suspicious, but Kagome knew that 'mysterious wildlife showing at the Bathhouse' wasn't on her list of things to take care of.

 _She's seen stranger stuff, I'm sure_ , the girl thought, pecking Shippo's head right between his pointy ears. Looking at Sango again, she bowed her head. "Thank you for all your help, Sango. Really."

With a nod, Sango smiled. "Take care, okay, Kikyo?"

Kagome turned and started walking, swinging the hand which held her shoes. Suddenly, Shippo climbed from where he was nestled in her arm to her shoulder, growling.

Looking back, she saw why.

The Faceless Spider came to a stop a few feet away, standing a little bent forward. Kagome noticed his curly hair was already drying, and his once solid body was gaining back its shadowy consistence. His red eyes were strangely subdued behind the mask, reminding her of Sota's after Mama scolded him.

It was a strange contrast, seeing his dark figure against the blue of the sea and the sky.

She offered him a tentative smile. "You can come with me," Kagome decided on a whim, "as long as you behave."

Without waiting for his answer, she resumed walking. The girl couldn't hear the spirit's steps, but she knew he was trailing along. She could feel his surprise at her offer as if it were a palpable thing.

"HEY, KIKYO!" Came Sango's voice from afar. "I KNOW I CALLED YOU STUPID—I TAKE IT BACK!"

Kagome felt a warmth in her chest. She raised a hand, the one holding the yellow sneakers, and waved without turning.

The train station was right in front of her now, no more than a white-tiled rectangle in the middle of the sea. She climbed on it and went straight for the bench, patting the space beside her so the Faceless Spider would sit.

He did so without question, although he sat as far from her as possible. The spirit still seemed a little disconcerted at having been allowed to accompany her.

Kagome put her shoes on and leaned back against the bench, closing her eyes to feel the wind on her short hair. Without thinking about it, she rested her hand over the pocket where the jewel shard was.

 _Everything will be alright._

The girl let herself doze off for a few minutes, exhausted from her ordeal. Caught between sleep and wakefulness, she almost jumped out of her skin when she heard the whistle of the arriving train.

* * *

 **A/N:** I guess this fic will be finished in two or three chapters, guys (I'm thinking two chapters and an epilogue). If you have suggestions, criticism, or praise *ahem* to give, now's the time! We're entering the final part. I can still take what you say into consideration!

Thank you for reading, and please, review! It helps a lot… I really want to end this lol.


	16. The Sixth Station

**A/N:** Updating again so soon because I'm on a roll!

Check my author's note in the beginning of the last chapter, please. I had to add two small things that were missing there.

* * *

 **The Sixth Station**

Watching the landscape of the Spirit World from the train window did strange things to Kagome's heart.

Small houses built on hills were now isolated in islands, thanks to the sea. At sunset, the sky became tinted with pink and purple, and so did the water around them. The atmosphere was melancholic, maybe a bit nostalgic, and it made Kagome miss things she wasn't sure she had experienced in her ten years. Sure, she missed being with her mother, father, brother and grandfather, but she also missed traveling the world, something she hadn't done—at least in this life.

This wistfulness intensified as she saw the humanoid shadows waiting at every station the train stopped. They entered the wagon and took their places, never speaking a word. Kagome wasn't scared of them, but she found herself wishing they were people, wishing the silhouette of a little girl holding a man's hand could smile, and wishing the man would look at the girl with a proud father's eyes. It occurred to Kagome that maybe they were ghosts (even though they had no trouble carrying their luggage), but she had no one to ask. The Faceless Spider might've known, but he no longer had a voice to answer.

Shippo made the trip a little brighter, though. The kit seemed mesmerized by everything he saw! His front paws and snout were glued to the window as he watched the train cutting through the water, and his tail didn't stop swishing. At some point along the way, the flea came to rest on the tip of his left ear. Kagome was happy for them; she suspected they didn't get many chances to see the world outside Urasue's Bathhouse.

By the time they arrived at Swamp Bottom, night had fallen, all of the red-cushioned benches around them were empty, and Shippo was sound asleep on Kagome's lap.

"We have to go," she whispered, running her hand along his fur until he stirred.

The girl felt her throat tighten when the train kept on going without them, taking the light with it.

" _Make sure you get it right. There used to be a return train, but nowadays it's one way only."_

Totosai's words had been clear, and she'd made her decision. She wouldn't cower now, but she was a little worried about walking all the way back to the bathhouse in the darkness of the night.

 _At least_ _I won't be alone._

* * *

Toga felt more rested than he had in years.

Blinking open his eyes, he saw a black and brown blur above him. The image of the hole in the wooden ceiling soon became clear, though. Pushing himself up slowly, the boy turned his head from side to side, taking in the destruction around him.

Totosai was sitting on the floor beside him, leaned back against the platform. The demon was snoring, two of his six arms crossed in front of his chest. This fatherly behavior wasn't lost on Toga, though the boy wasn't sure where he'd gotten the reference from.

"Hey, old man," Toga called, shaking Totosai's arm a little. "Wake up."

The demon frowned, opening his huge eyes.

"Oh, Toga! Finally!" He scratched his chin. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine, but—I thought I heard Kikyo's voice before." He looked at the boiler master expectantly. "Where is she? What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Totosai queried gently. "You blacked out. The evil power of the jewel shard made you go beserk, then drained you." He pointed at Toga's chest. "Kikyo saved you with that subjugation necklace right there."

Toga followed the direction of the demon's finger, carefully fisting the purple beads in his hand. He felt small all of a sudden. The boy didn't like the idea of being subjugated, but he liked the idea of hurting Kagome even less. Had he harmed her?

As if reading his mind, Totosai gave him a toothy grin. "Kikyo's okay, kid! She took the train to return the shard you stole from Urasue's sister."

" _What?_ " Toga spat, dropping the necklace. "You sent her to that—that _witch_ —all by herself?" He jumped to his feet. "Are you insane?"

Totosai, the fool, actually chuckled at him. "I assure you I didn't send her anywhere, _Master_ Toga," he sneered. "She decided to go on her own. I only provided her with the train tickets."

The boy felt his heart hammering in his chest. _She left her family here to help me?_ He was humbled (and maybe a little giddy). Then, something else the boiler master had said caught his interest.

"Why tickets?" Toga asked suspiciously, straightening his back. "Why more than one?"

Totosai pulled on his goatee beard, a smile curving his wrinkled lips. "I saw she had company; Urasue's kid, Shippo. He was turned into a fox by Kaede's shikigami, you see, but a demon as old as I could see it a mile away." He snorted.

Toga was already at the door before Totosai had finished speaking. Of all the stupid things his friend could have done, taking the sorceress' son with her was probably the worst. He had to talk to Urasue before she found out about Shippo's disappearance on her own. He had to make sure it didn't sound as if Kagome were to blame…

 _I have to save her_ , he thought, wincing at the sound the subjugation beads made as he ran. It was very irritating.

 _She's got some explaining to do, too._

* * *

"That gold doesn't pay for half the damage the Faceless Spider inflicted on this house!" Urasue complained, wrapping her hair in a towel.

Miroku fought the urge to roll his eyes. He was tired, his back hurt from being thrown aside by the Spider, and Sango was mad at him for putting Kikyo in danger. All he wanted to do was give the sorceress her due and call it a day.

But no, of course not… He had to be stuck in his boss' office, kneeling on her carpet with Koga (who still smelled of vomit) and goddamn _Jaken_. There was only so much a manager could take…

Also, Urasue in a bathrobe wasn't a sight he was likely to forget anytime soon.

"Stupid Kikyo just had to let such a dangerous spirit in!" Urasue went on. "And she ran away, too, the ungrateful brat!"

 _Wait a minute._ Miroku cleared his throat. "Ma'am, that girl saved us," he stated. "If it weren't for her, the Spider would have—"

"She abandoned her own family, is what she did!" The witch waved him off. Pointing at Jaken, she ordered, "See if those pigs are ready to eat. We should make some bacon!"

"Hold on."

Miroku suppressed a groan at hearing Toga's voice. If the miniature foreman decided to enter a discussion with his master, they wouldn't be dismissed until dawn.

Turning his head, the manager watched as the dog-boy walked slowly to where Urasue was sitting. There was something strange about Toga's appearance, but Miroku couldn't pinpoint what. He still looked like a child, wore the same red clothes, his white hair was as messy as always…

 _His eyes_ , he thought suddenly. _His eyes are different._

Brighter. Livelier. More awake, maybe?

"My, my! I see you're still alive," Urasue marveled, clapping her hands.

"Keh."

Miroku wanted to roll his eyes at the rude little noise. _It's the same Toga, alright._

"Have you come to give me the Shikon no Tama now that you've recovered?" The sorceress asked. "I was really crossed at the way you—"

"Something precious was stolen from you," Toga interrupted, his voice too icy for a child's, "and you didn't even realize it."

The room was silent except for the sound of Shippo's playing. Urasue narrowed her huge red eyes at the pile of gold pebbles resting on the coffee table.

Miroku felt a drop of sweat sliding from his temple to his chin. Maybe he had calculated it wrong, maybe the employees had taken more than they should have…

Urasue and Toga were glaring daggers at each other. Slowly, the smirk dropped from the ogress' face. Turning her head to the corner where Shippo was sitting, making a mess of opening gift packages, the sorceress' look became pensive.

With a gesture of her finger, the boy's body rearranged itself into the bodies of three little monkeys.

Would this day never end?

As the manager of the Bathhouse, Miroku was used to seeing very strange things on a daily basis. Still, a good illusion always made the hairs on the nape of his neck stand on end. He didn't like the feeling of being cheated, of not knowing the difference between fantasy and reality. Living in the Spirit World for years was already hard enough on any human; he didn't have to lose his sanity.

"MY BABY!" Urasue screeched, jumping to her feet. The monkey spirits ran away, yelling at each other to hide. "She found us out," they cried pitifully.

The sorceress hurried to Shippo's room, followed by a very calm Toga. Miroku could hear her tossing things around the boy's room, asking him to stop playing and come out of hiding. Through all this, it seemed Toga didn't utter a word.

 _This is a chance_ , the manager realized. _I may not get another one._

As silently as possible, Miroku got up and walked to Urasue's desk. There were no contracts scattered on top of it today.

"What are you doing?" Jaken hissed.

"Are you mad?" Koga grunted.

Miroku gestured at them to be quiet. "Speak of this to anyone," he whispered, "and I'll just say you helped me."

Without waiting for their compliance, he opened the first drawer. Luckily for him, it seemed Urasue kept her contracts in alphabetic order.

 _She… She organizes them by our fake names._

 _Bingo._

* * *

To find Kaede's house, all they had to do was follow the dirt road that cut through the swamp. It was the only option they had, really.

The Faceless Spider's steps had no sound, but Shippo's soft ones were a source of comfort to Kagome. The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the way, and she didn't feel scared—only a little anxious about meeting Urasue's sister.

She knew the house was Kaede's as soon as she saw it (there was no other around). It looked more like a hut than a house, but Kagome suspected it was a matter of personal taste rather than poverty. Urasue was evil, but she wouldn't let her own flesh and blood suffer, would she?

Warm light came from inside the hut. Stopping right in front of it, Kagome and her companions were faced with a problem: there was no door to knock on, only a thick hanging pelt.

"Ah," the Faceless Spider said helpfully.

"Well, come in, children," someone urged in there. "I don't have all night."

Kagome gulped. Straightening her shoulders, she grabbed the pelt and moved it aside.

The interior of the hut was much cozier than the outside. It was small, but it looked like a grandmother's house. There were teacups and saucers of all colors resting on shelves near the door; a teapot was whistling over the fire, which burned in a hole on the wooden floor; and the 'grandma' herself was sitting on a stool, watching them with an amused smile.

"I see you all made it. I'm glad," Kaede said, sounding as if she'd been expecting them. Pointing at two other stools reclined against the back wall, she looked at the Faceless Spider. "Would you get those for me, please?"

He nodded, moving to do as she asked. While Shippo made himself comfortable by lying on his back near the fire, Kagome stepped forward.

"I-I'm here to return this to you, Ma'am." She took the black jewel shard from the pocket of her skirt. "I know Toga stole it. I'm here to apologize for him!" Kagome bowed. "Please, don't send the shikigami after him again!"

With a sigh, Kaede took the shard from Kagome's hand. To the girl's amazement, it started to shine with a pink light as soon as she touched it.

"What's happening?" Kagome asked, leaning closer to watch. "It's so pretty…"

"I'm purifying it, child. The shards of the Shikon no Tama turn black when ill-intentioned people touch them—mostly demons and witches, you see. We don't have many humans around here."

The girl frowned. "But I thought you were a witch, Ma'am." She paused, tilting her head. "Aren't you?"

Kaede started laughing, making Kagome jump. The Faceless Spider approached them carefully, putting the stools down. He eyed the old woman warily through his mask.

"I'm sorry. Please, do sit down." Kaede wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I'm not a sorceress like my sister. I'm a priestess." She smiled at Kagome's dumbfounded face. "A human, just like you."

Kagome let herself fall on the stool beside the Faceless Spider's. Confused, she scratched the back of her neck. "But aren't you Urasue's sister? How can you be human?" The girl blushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry if it's rude to ask!"

Kaede raised a hand to placate her. "You're just curious, child. I'll answer your questions." The old woman looked at the fire without seeming to really see it. "Like you, I came here through the well. I don't remember everything that happened, but I know I was hiding. There was a war—I don't recall what it was about," she said before Kagome could ask. "Urasue's mother, an ogress, took me in. I never went back."

There was a brief silence. Shippo unexpectedly got up and went to Kaede's feet, rubbing himself on her legs.

Chuckling, the woman scratched his neck. "Don't concern yourself on my behalf, little one. I'm not sad." She sighed. "It was a long time ago."

"I'm sorry to ask even more questions," Kagome began, "but how long ago?"

Kaede tapped a finger against her chin. "Well, I can't be sure, but I think it took me more than a century to get this old. If I were in the mortal world, I would have been long dead by now. Time passes differently here."

Kagome exhaled in relief, letting her posture relax. _Thank God_ , the girl thought. _Maybe we'll go back to the same day we left._

"Someone waiting for you at home?" Kaede guessed, smiling.

Kagome swallowed a lump in her throat. "My baby brother. He's all alone."

"I see."

Getting up, Kaede went to a chest at the back of the room. From a distance, it looked filled with blankets and pelts, but those didn't seem to correspond to what she wanted.

The priestess took a pink jewel from inside. It shone beautifully under the firelight.

"I was entrusted with this, you see," the old woman said, showing them the rock. "As the only priestess living in the Spirit World, they thought it would be best if I took care of it. Giving it to a spirit or demon would create a lot of competition, and that would corrupt the Shikon no Tama. Mother was so proud!" She smiled, clearly remembering the ogress who had adopted her with fondness. "Urasue was jealous, though." The smile waned. "She still is, the silly old hag…"

Not knowing what to say, Kagome dejectedly twisted the hem of her shirt. "Is that why she asked Toga to steal the jewel from you?"

"Aye," Kaede confirmed, sitting back on her stool. "It wasn't the first time, but he'd never succeeded before. He's getting stronger." She clucked her tongue. "My sister thinks it's a good joke, sending a half-demon to steal from a human. He's half human himself, after all."

"Wait," Kagome blurted. "Toga's a half-demon? Is that even possible?"

"Oh, it's very possible! His mother, like you and I, came through the well. She met Toga's father here; a demon, and a powerful one at that." The priestess' eyes became sad. "Unlike me, though, she didn't stay. After he died in a fight, she went back to the mortal world—with a baby in her womb."

"T-Toga? But how's he working in Urasue's Bathhouse, then?" Kagome queried, more confused than ever.

"That I do not know," Kaede admitted with a shrug. "And neither does he, I'm afraid. I hear the boy doesn't remember much about his past."

 _No_ , Kagome mentally agreed. _He doesn't even remember his true name._

With the tips of her thumb and forefinger, the priestess put the missing shard on a small fissure on the jewel. It shone brighter as it became complete.

"That foolish boy burst through the door in his dog form and caught the jewel in his jaw! I'd taken it out to purify it—I have to do it constantly, see?" Kaede knitted her brows in consternation. "He'd never been able to enter my property. I conjured the shikigami to retrieve the jewel at once, of course, but… he was able to escape with a shard." She shrugged. "His teeth must've nipped it."

Kagome apprehensively eyed the Shikon no Tama from a safe distance. _If only a shard did that to him_ , she mused, _what would the whole thing do?_

There was a short pause.

The priestess cleared her throat.

"Now, Kikyo," she began, sending a tingle down Kagome's spine. She didn't remember telling Kaede her name. "How would you like to have a wish granted?"

* * *

 **A/N:** What did you think of Kaede's backstory, guys? And Inuyasha's? I know none of that was in the movie, but I had to make this AU believable with these characters! More on the jewel next time.

Pleeease, review! I always read what you say and take it to heart, you should know (looking at you, Wenchster!)

Again, thank you for reading :')


	17. Wishing And Reminiscing

**Wishing And Reminiscing**

Kagome blinked at the priestess, not knowing how to answer such a strange question. Didn't everyone in the world have a wish they'd like to have granted? More than one, even?

For some reason, the Faceless Spider went rigid at Kaede's words. Kagome was learning how to read her silent companion very well, and his reaction hinted that the woman's question might not have been totally hypothetical.

The girl creased her brows. "A wish? Well… I guess." She shrugged, directing a quick glance at the Spider. "I-I mean, wouldn't anyone?"

Kaede nodded, her old eyes shining under the firelight. "Yes, of course, but… unlike other people, you could have a real chance at making your wish come true." She raised the jewel in her wrinkled hand. "The Shikon no Tama has the power to do it."

If the Faceless Spider had feet, Kagome was sure he'd be shuffling them. Kaede's words made her uneasy. Perhaps she had been a silly girl back when she lived in Osaka, when her father was still alive… but not anymore.

A person couldn't just have their wish granted out of thin air. Things didn't work that way.

 _But you're in the Spirit World_ , a hopeful voice insisted in the back of her mind. _You fell through a magic well, and your mother and grandfather were turned into pigs!_

 _Maybe you could have a wish._

Shaking her head clear, Kagome eyed the Shikon no Tama warily. "W-Would it give me what I want? I mean, I saw what it did to Toga." She gulped. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but I don't buy it."

As if pleased with her answer, the old woman smiled affectionately at the girl. "The jewel could do it, but you'd have to be careful. It isn't evil, but it isn't good either." Kaede paused, rolling the Shikon no Tama around in her palm. "They say there was once a priestess, the first human to ever live in the Spirit World, who sealed a swarm of angry demons in this small rock. Legend says she ended up trapped with them, though… If someone made a pure wish, she would finally rest."

Kagome squeaked. "Tha-that's horrible! I hope it's not true!"

Shippo walked over to her and put his paw on her knee. Kagome absent-mindedly scratched the back of his ear.

The fire crackled.

"Whether the story's true or not," Kaede resumed softly, "the Shikon no Tama _is_ capable of granting wishes. It's been done a few times, but I suppose none of them were pure."

As the priestess took the teapot from the fire, she asked Kagome to fetch them three cups from the shelf. The girl did so slowly, her mind reeling.

"Would 'going home' be a good wish?" Kagome asked, sitting down again. "And 'give me back my family'?"

The Faceless Spider shook his head. "Ah, ah."

Kaede ignored him, but she stopped filling the cups to look at the girl. "Are you wishing for those things?"

Kagome fidgeted in her seat. It was really strange that no one had made a pure wish yet, considering how old the Shikon no Tama seemed to be. Kaede said people had tried… the priestess herself was a lonely old lady living in a hut, while her sister lived in a mansion. Would it be a bad thing if she asked for a little more comfort? For company?

"What happens to those who make wrong wishes?" Kagome murmured.

There was approval in Kaede's eyes, but also sadness. "They come close to getting what they want, but never the way they wanted it."

Kagome knew then that she couldn't risk making a wish.

What if she asked to go home and the jewel sent her to Osaka, her _real_ home, all alone? What if she asked to have her family back and the jewel returned her the pigs? If she just asked the Shikon no Tama to make them human again, they would still be in Urasue's pigsty. She wouldn't be there to stop them from getting into trouble.

They could be dead by the time she arrived at the Bathhouse in the morning.

Angry, the girl fisted her hands.

Master Totosai had told her that demons always fought over the Shikon no Tama. Kaede had said the jewel caused conflict. The best friend she'd ever had was caught between a sisters' quarrell for it, and he'd almost died just because of a shard!

Was she seriously considering using something so obviously twisted?

Kagome was ashamed of herself for having even thought about it. If grown-ups believed the jewel would bring them happiness, they were really dense.

"It's cruel," she decided, locking eyes with the priestess. "It's cruel to give people hope only to make them sad later. It's evil—your jewel is evil, and I _know_ Urasue will keep sending Toga here to steal it!"

Kagome's voice wobbled and tears pricked her eyes. Kaede only looked at her sadly as the girl ranted, seeming to almost regret her offer.

"He's gonna get himself killed over a _stupid_ magic rock! I just—I wish—I wish this jewel DISAPPEARED!"

When Kagome realized the Shikon no Tama had reacted to her venting, it was already too late. She only had time to see Kaede's expectant face before they were blinded by pink light.

* * *

Toga flew swiftly through the night, moving his paws over the clouds.

He was relieved for having been able to give Kagome's family a little more time. Whatever the challenge Urasue was planning, he was sure his friend would be able to pull it off.

 _"Where's my son?"_

 _"He's with your sister."_

Toga hadn't felt the least bit remorseful for blaming Kaede. It was the easiest, most believable way to free Kagome of suspicion. The priestess had already attacked the Bathhouse that day; she could have easily ordered the shikigami to take Shippo.

 _Urasue smirked. "I see, Toga. Protecting Shippo isn't part of your job, so you'll offer yourself to retrieve him in exchange for something." She clucked her tongue. "Very clever. What is it that you want?"_

 _"Destroy Kikyo's contract and let her family go."_

The fact that Kagome remembered her true name wasn't enough to free her from Urasue's clutches; the witch still held her mother and grandfather captive, after all. Even if by some miracle the girl managed to escape with them, she couldn't live with two pigs for a family.

 _"I accept," Urasue agreed, "but under my terms. I'll have to test her. If she passes the test, she can go home with them."_

With a snarl, Toga pumped his legs. He needed to get to Kaede's (again) and make sure Kagome was unharmed. That was the first step to sending her home. He would worry about the rest later.

As he flew over the swamp, trying to sense the usual traps that surrounded the area, Kaede's hut glowed pink. The bright light shone through the door and window, making his fur stand on end.

He made a mad dive in, uncaring of anything else but Kagome. If he got a little scorched to get her back, so be it.

It turned out he had no reason to worry, though.

As he landed in front of the house, his chest heaving, the hanging pelt was pushed back from the door.

"TOGA!" Kagome cried, her brown eyes full of happiness. "You're alright! I'm so glad!"

Running toward him, she raised her skinny arms.

Exhaling a breath of relief, he lowered his head so she could hug it. With her small hands buried in his fur and her forehead touching his snout, he felt utterly at peace.

So at peace, in fact, that he almost jumped back in the air when the priestess cleared her throat.

"You have excellent instincts, Kikyo," Kaede complimented with a sincere smile. "The Shikon no Tama is gone from this world because you managed to make the one correct wish. I'm sorry I've put you through that, but I had a very strong feeling about you." The woman sighed. "Always trust in yourself."

Toga was baffled by Kaede's words. Kagome had made a wish on the jewel? The wish had destroyed it? The old hag had put her in danger based on a _strong feeling_?

Oblivious to his questions, the girl stepped away from him to give the priestess a hug, of all things. "It's okay, Grandma." She leaned back with a small smile. "And oh, my name isn't Kikyo. It's Kagome."

"Kagome," Kaede repeated warmly, holding her hands. "What a beautiful name! Take good care of it." She looked at Toga. "I don't blame you for what you did, boy. I hope you take care of this girl."

He huffed, but nodded.

A tiny fox that could only be Shippo climbed on Kagome's legs. She looked worried as she scooped him up.

"Can you turn him back into a demon, Grandma? The shikigami… "

Kaede raised an eyebrow. "The spell wore off hours ago. I'm afraid my nephew's keeping himself this way."

Kagome frowned, hugging the kit to her chest. "Maybe he wants his mom," she guessed, walking back to Toga's side. "I'll just take him home."

The Faceless Spider emerged from the door, coming to stand silently beside Kaede.

Considering him carefully, the priestess said, "It would be nice to have some company now that I'll have more free time. You can stay if you're lonely, spirit—as long as you behave."

The Spider looked from Kagome to the priestess. Toga could tell the spirit was torn, but he didn't understand why. Kagome would be going back to the mortal world very soon, and the Spider wouldn't be welcome at the Bathhouse after what he'd done.

The choice seemed pretty obvious.

Apparently reaching the same conclusion, the spirit slowly nodded. Turning to Kagome, he bowed—a thank you and a goodbye.

The girl returned the gesture. Toga could see it in her face that she was elated at the way things had turned out, but he could also smell her tears.

She really cared about everyone. He supposed she was going to miss them.

Toga lowered himself to the ground and looked at Kagome, silently inviting her to climb on his back. She did so without a moment's hesitation, holding Shippo against her stomach with one arm.

"Take care, guys!"

Soon enough, they gained the sky.

* * *

Kagome was transfixed by the moon and the stars.

Even though they were flying high, she wasn't frightened; in fact, the girl felt safer than she had in months. Toga's white fur was warm beneath her, Shippo snored peacefully in her lap, and she could hear the distant sound of the waves clashing against the train.

The last time she was this comfortable, she'd been watching TV with her parents under a blanket, on a Sunday night a lifetime away.

A lifetime away…

"Hey, Toga," Kagome called hesitantly. "Listen… I don't remember this, but Mama told me about it." She exhaled a breath. "When I was little, before we moved to Osaka, I was playing in the forest near the shrine and fell from a tree."

The flying dog couldn't answer, but his ears swiveled in her direction. The girl mused at how familiar it felt to be on his back. Maybe any other ten-year-old would be scared of an Akita dog the size of a horse, but she knew the boy inside it: her savior, the one who didn't let her forget her true name.

If not for him, she would have turned into Kikyo a long time ago.

"Someone caught me and took me home," she continued, her voice sounding distant to her own ears. "Grandpa told me later that a dog demon used to live in the forest." The girl's fingers tightened minutely on Toga's neck. "They still call it Inuyasha's Forest. Your real name... is Inuyasha."

She felt him stiffen.

The dog's white fur started peeling off of him, flying in all directions. It glimmered like snow under the moonlight. He started shrinking, _disappearing_ from beneath her, until he was a ten-year-old boy again. Kagome was sitting on the small of his back—and they were falling.

Frightened out of sleep, Shippo quickly climbed to Kagome's shoulder. She held onto Inuyasha's sleeve, feeling strangely calm for someone who would be meeting the water pretty soon.

Inuyasha reached for her, holding both her hands. Trying to gain some balance, they raised their arms between them.

The boy was smiling in a way she'd never seen, his golden eyes shining with gratitude.

She knew then that he remembered it. He remembered himself, and he remembered her. Just like her, he had never truly forgotten.

"Thank you, Kagome!" Inuyasha said over the noise of the wind. "My mother—she said my father gave me that name!"

The girl felt her eyes filling with tears. "Your mom?"

He nodded. "She asked the Goshinboku to watch over me before she died. She loved me!"

"Of course she did!"

"And you—that was a pretty big fall, but I caught you before you hit the ground!" Inuyasha brought his face closer, touching his forehead to hers. "You silly girl!"

Kagome hiccuped. "You s-saved me! I'm so happy!"

Closing their eyes, they stopped falling and started gently floating.

* * *

 **A/N:** This chapter was already written, so I've decided to post it before I ruined it lol. The transformation scene was the first one I wrote. I posted it on tumblr as a drabble a long time ago, but I still didn't have a clear idea of the story, so I had to modify it. I hope you liked it!

Now we know Inuyasha stayed in the forest after his mother died, under the protection of the Goshinboku. As to why he eventually went back to the Spirit World… well, I'll get to it in the next chapter!

I can safely say we'll have one last chapter + the epilogue. Please, tell me what you think! I'd be so happy if this story reached 60 reviews before it ended…


	18. Don't Look Back

**Don't Look Back**

Holding hands, the children flew over the sea to the bathhouse.

Learning Inuyasha could fly even as a boy was a pleasant surprise. Although Kagome loved his white fur, he needed a voice so they could talk.

"For how long did you live in the forest?" She asked.

"I'm not sure," Inuyasha answered with a slight shrug. "A few centuries. I saw everything changing around me, but the Goshinboku stopped my aging."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Really?"

Inuyasha made them spin their way through a cloud before explaining. "Yeah. I'm only a half-demon, so I should've been grown by now. My mother's dying wish was that the god tree protected me… a god's promise is forever."

Kagome tried to digest that as she looked at the twinkling stars. After a moment, she asked her next question. "So you'll be a boy forever?"

A crease appeared between his eyebrows as he considered her question. "I'm not in the Goshinboku's domain anymore, but there _is_ a god tree near the bathhouse. Maybe it's the same, maybe it's not. Time here passes slowly, so… I don't know if I'm aging. It's too soon to tell."

 _Not knowing if you'll ever grow up must be hard_ , Kagome thought. Gods had a strange way of interpreting requests, it seemed. "And why aren't you in the mortal world anymore? Did you jump into the well?"

Inuyasha nodded. "After you moved out and the old man stayed alone, it was easier for me to sneak around. I was exploring the yard one day when I smelled someone." The boy frowned. "A dog demon. His scent was familiar, and it was coming from inside the well house. It became stronger the closer I got to the well, so I just—jumped in." He smiled a little bitterly. "Then I went to Urasue's Bathhouse."

 _How lonely he must have been feeling_ , Kagome mused sadly.

It also occurred to her this was the longest she'd ever heard him speak. The girl smiled.

 _I guess it means he trusts me._

"You know, Kagome…" Inuyasha began conversationally, closing his free hand around the subjugation necklace. "A dog demon has touched this—maybe the same one I smelled long ago." Turning inquisitive eyes to her, he asked, "How did you get this?"

Kagome blinked. "A bathhouse client gave it to me yesterday." _Was it really yesterday?_ "He… he _was_ a dog demon, actually! People thought he was a Bloody Spirit in the beginning, but… Inuyasha, what if your father is alive?" She asked excitedly. "Could it be him?"

"No," Inuyasha replied instantly, letting go of the necklace. "Mother said he died. It's someone else."

Sensing the boy wanted to drop the subject, Kagome didn't say anything more. Deep inside, though, she didn't dismiss the possibility. _Maybe he knew Inuyasha was in trouble. Maybe that's why he gave me the necklace in the first place._

"There's something you should know before we arrive at the bathhouse, Kagome," Inuyasha said, breaking her from her thoughts. "Urasue's preparing a test. I made her promise she'll let you and your family go if you pass it."

Shippo sunk his claws in Kagome's shoulder upon hearing his mother's name. The girl didn't know if he was anxious to see her again or afraid.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "I guess you did the best you could. Thank you. She would never just let me go, would she?"

Inuyasha tightened his hand around hers, showing the girl his silent support. It gave her a little more confidence.

"You asked me a bunch of questions," he remarked suddenly. "I've got one for you now. How did you destroy the Shikon no Tama?"

"Oh. That." Kagome turned her head to look at him. "I wished it disappeared."

The boy frowned, blinking a few times. "Just like that?"

"Yep."

There was a moment of silence.

Inuyasha snorted. "Urasue will be so pissed."

* * *

At the break of dawn, Kagome and Inuyasha landed on the wooden bridge in front of the bathhouse.

There was a commotion waiting for them.

All the employees were standing on balconies or looking through windows, whispering frightfully amongst themselves. Some of them sent Kagome sympathetic looks, which concerned her greatly. Only Inuyasha's solid presence beside her and the knowledge that this could all be over very soon kept her walking.

Urasue was standing at the end of the bridge, a cruel smile on her face. Right behind her, trapped by a cord hanging from wall to wall, were ten or so pigs.

Kagome swallowed a lump in her throat, but her steps were steady. She couldn't show fear now.

Without warning, Shippo jumped from her shoulder and turned into a little demon again.

"Shippo!" Urasue cried, running the few steps left between them to hug the boy. "You scared me, you brat! Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?"

"Mama, you're squishing me," the kit complained, kicking the air until she let him go. Kagome noticed Shippo's green eyes looked less mischievous, maybe even more gentle. "They didn't hurt me. They helped me."

"Really?" Urasue's tone was disbelieving.

"I can attest to that, Ma'am," said a small voice from Shippo's head. "They didn't touch a hair on his head—or mine, if I may add!"

"I'll deal with you later, Myoga," the sorceress hissed. "And you're bald, I remind you." Turning her attention back to her son, she asked, "Is this really true?"

Shippo nodded. "Kikyo was a real friend. If you make her cry, I won't forgive you."

"B-But sweetie, I—"

"It's okay, Shippo," Kagome interjected, releasing Inuyasha's hand to walk to Urasue. "I'll be alright now."

The boy looked at her worriedly, swishing his tail. "Good luck, Kikyo. I'll miss you." He shuffled his feet.

"I'll miss you too." Smiling, Kagome bowed her head. "Thank you for escorting me."

Shippo puffed out his chest, blinking his tears away. Inuyasha observed everything from afar, a small smile on his lips. The boy looked absolutely relaxed.

 _Does he believe in me so much?_

"Come, Kikyo," Urasue called brusquely. "You have a decision to make."

As the ogress and the child stood side by side in front of the improvised pigsty, everyone around them stopped talking. The staff seemed to be waiting for Urasue's test with bated breath.

"Tell me which ones are your mother and grandfather," Urasue instructed, "and they are free." She shook a piece of paper in front of Kagome's face. "Your contract will also be revoked. You just need to guess right."

Kagome looked carefully at the assorted pigs. They were all the same, really, aside from subtle differences (coloring and size, mostly). The animals smelled and made a lot of noise, but they didn't look hostile. There was nothing of the cruelty she'd dreamed of in their tiny black eyes.

Kaede's words sounded unbidden in the back of her mind. _"_ _You have excellent instincts, Kikyo."_

 _Do I?_

Thinking back on the day she had arrived in the Spirit World, Kagome remembered how fast her heart had been beating. She'd felt trapped, scared, and all she'd wanted to do was go back home. Somehow, she hadn't entered the trance her mother and grandfather had.

Also, she had put the subjugation necklace on Inuyasha to stop him from hurting himself, even though she hadn't been sure what it would do. It had worked in the end. Likewise, Kagome had made the one correct wish without really thinking about it, sending the Shikon no Tama to oblivion.

Were these all coincidences? Lucky guesses at best?

 _"Always trust in yourself."_

What her heart told her, what she knew from years of listening to fairytales and learning the tricks of evil witches, was that her family might not even be there.

Taking a leap of faith, Kagome turned to Urasue to give the sorceress her answer.

"I can't tell you which ones are the right ones, Grandma." Urasue's red eyes widened at the word 'grandma.' "I can't, because my family isn't here."

"Is this your answer?"

A heartbeat passed.

Kagome nodded.

The contract exploded into tiny bits of colorful paper, not unlike a magician's trick. With a loud puff, the pigs turned into employees, all of them smiling at the girl. People cheered around them, whistling and waving fans.

Kagome thought she heard Sango's voice yelling "Let me through!", but she couldn't see her anywhere.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Urasue grumbled. "Get out of here, girl!"

In a state of euphoria, Kagome smiled—actually _smiled_ —at the sorceress. After offering Urasue a quick bow, she ran back to Inuyasha's side. He extended his hand to her, his expression proud and approving.

"WAIT!"

Spinning, Kagome saw Sango there. The teenager grabbed her by the shoulders, a watery smile plastered on her face.

"Congratulations, Kikyo! You did it!"

Feeling slightly dizzy, Kagome let Sango hug her.

Before releasing her, the older girl whispered in her ear, "Master Miroku discovered our true names! Soon we'll take the one-way train."

Leaning away, Kagome saw Sango's serene expression. She looked younger and prettier than Kagome had ever seen.

"Tha-that's really good, Sango," she said sincerely. "I hope you're happy!"

"You too. Now, move along!"

Taking Inuyasha's hand, she did.

* * *

Inuyasha accompanied Kagome all the way to the magic well.

The empty eyes of the stone statues didn't seem to follow her this time. Everything was just so—peaceful. The wind playing with the tall grass even made Kagome a little sleepy.

Putting her small hands on the lip of the well, the girl hesitantly looked inside. It was dark; she couldn't see a thing. If there were any water left in there (it had been full before, she was sure), Kagome would only find out after jumping.

"Where's my family?"

"They're waiting for you."

Kagome tilted her head to look at the boy beside her. "What about you? What will happen to you now?"

"Keh. I'll be fine." He smiled at her, showing his tiny fangs. "I know my true name. I'll just tell Urasue I don't wanna work for her anymore."

Straightening, Kagome looked at the beads around Inuyasha's neck. "I should take that off of you before leaving. We don't know if anyone else can do it, right?"

As she raised her hands, the half-demon took a step back.

"I wanna keep it," he stated. "I feel like I should..."

"Um—okay." Kagome let her hands drop, smiling at Inuyasha. "Promise me we'll see each other again?"

His puppy ears twitched. "I promise."

"Really?"

"I promise," he repeated with a grin. Holding her shoulder, Inuyasha pushed Kagome slightly closer to the well. "Now go, and don't look back!"

The girl felt it more than saw it—the magic glowing inside the well, promising warmth and safety and _home_.

With Inuyasha's help, she jumped right in.

As the blue light burned her eyes, Kagome had a very strong urge to raise her head and look at Inuyasha. She wanted to see his face one last time, watching her from above.

 _Don't look back._ That had sounded like a warning, though.

The Spirit World was a strange place with strange rules, but after her stay, Kagome had learned to respect what she could not understand. Not everything was meant to be understood; that was something she knew she'd never forget.

 _Don't worry_ , she told herself. _You'll see him again._

The blue light shone brighter.

* * *

"I can't believe you were playing in there, young lady!" Grandpa told her off again. "That well house is dangerous—for many reasons!"

Kagome closed her eyes as he pulled her along, enjoying the sound of his voice. She had burst out the door of the well house like a hurricane, yelling for her family from the top of her lungs.

Grandpa had yelped from fright, letting the pot he'd been holding fall to the ground. It took Kagome less than a minute to realize he didn't remember anything.

Would her mother remember?

"Kagome!"

Mama Higurashi was at the door, a concerned expression on her face. Sota—Kagome's baby brother, alive and well—was holding onto one of her legs.

"Kagome, where have you been?"

Grandpa released the girl's hand. "I'll tell you where she's been, Daughter! _Inside the well house_. We specifically told her not to go in there!"

Mama sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You could have told us, Kagome. You could have answered us when we called you!" She frowned at her daughter. "I was about to call the police and ask them to search the woods, you know?"

Kagome could only look at the woman, drinking her in. She was so grateful they were alright, she didn't even mind the unfairness of their reprimands. Without answering to any questions, the girl threw herself at her mother, hugging her tightly.

"H-Hey, sweetie," Mama's voice went from mad to worried in a second. "What's gotten into you? Are you crying?"

"She must have hurt herself!" Grandpa fretted. "Look her over, Daughter!"

Kagome smiled into her mother's stomach.

 _I'm home._

* * *

 **A/N:** Our little girl has her family back, yay!

About Inuyasha's aging: you'll see my solution for this little problem in the epilogue. Oh, yes, you can bet they'll meet again.

My next update will really be the last, guys. Can you believe it? :'(


	19. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

School was over—forever.

This was the last time Kagome was wearing her uniform. She couldn't quite believe it as she walked home from her final class.

Her graduation would be next Saturday, and after that… after that, she wasn't sure what she'd do. Kagome had been thinking about going to college and getting a degree in Tourism and Hospitality, or something else that would help her open her own inn someday.

She believed she could do well at that, considering her past experience at the bathhouse.

Truthfully, the Spirit World left many marks in Kagome.

The young woman sometimes caught herself holding her breath as she walked over a bridge. She was scared of wasps and couldn't stand the sight of pork, let alone eat it. She was more mature than any of her friends, and she never looked back after saying goodbye.

Not once.

Sighing, Kagome passed by the stone steps that led to her family shrine and kept on going. A walk might help her clear her head and regain her cheerful disposition before she arrived home.

 _Mama will be worried if I come back after the last day of school with a long face_ , she thought. _And she expects me to be with my friends now._

Kagome wasn't a sad girl, not by a very long shot, but she was feeling a bit wistful today. She'd declined her friends' invitation to go to WacDonalds because all their talking about the future made the girl realize she'd always been waiting for something else deep down.

Something that might never happen. She'd checked the well a few times, after the worst of her emotional trauma had passed, but it never let her through.

 _Inuyasha, I… want to see you again._

Feeling a sudden tingle down her spine, Kagome halted.

She was supposed to always trust her instincts. Something red had also caught her eye…

It was the façade of a coffee shop, standing out between two colorless buildings like a cherry on a cake. There used to be a shoe store there, so Kagome knew this one was new.

Deciding to take a closer look, she crossed the street.

'The Bottomless Pit Café,' it read on a green neon sign above the door.

What kind of a name was that?

Curious, Kagome opened the door to enter the coffee shop. A bell rang as she walked through the threshold.

The inside of it was like... a grandmother's house.

Teacups of many sizes and colors were hanging on the walls. An old gramophone rested on a tall platform near the door, probably just for decoration. The tablecloths were lace, and each table had a small porcelain vase on top with a single purple flower. Kagome recognized the kind from Grandpa's garden: shion.

It symbolized remembrance.

On the far wall, a framed quote beside the menu board read: 'Once you meet someone, you never truly forget them.'

Kagome thought it wasn't much as far as motivational quotes went, but it was cute.

"Good afternoon," a man greeted with a smooth voice, standing up from behind the counter. "How may I—"

As they looked at each other, he stopped talking. His dark eyes widened on his pale face.

He was tall and thin with long, curly hair. Kagome blinked, thinking he looked familiar. She couldn't quite place it, but his _eyes_...

"Kikyo," he murmured.

It was as if the floor opened beneath her feet. She felt dizzy.

"Kagome," she corrected automatically, exhaling a nervous laugh. "And you're the Faceless Spider." It wasn't a question. She _knew_ it.

"We got a customer?"

Her lungs stopped working.

She would have recognized this new voice anywhere. It didn't matter if it sounded a little different, older and rougher. It didn't matter if the last time she'd heard him speak, she had been only a child.

Turning her head, Kagome looked at the man who had just entered the room through a door behind the counter. He wore a blue apron, which suggested he worked in the kitchen. His long, black hair was tied back in a ponytail, and his gray eyes had the same depth they'd had when they were golden.

"Ka-Kagome?" Inuyasha stammered.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, her heart hammering in her chest.

The Faceless Spider excused himself, mumbling something about getting Kaede. Kagome was unable to take her eyes out of the one she'd been longing to see for years.

Inuyasha was in front of her in the blink of an eye, pulling her into his arms.

"You silly girl," he murmured into her hair. "Where have you been?"

"I-I'm sorry, Inuyasha," Kagome stuttered, even though she wasn't sure what she was apologizing for. Confused, she asked, "Were you waiting?"

He smelt of coffee, wood and something new. As he leaned away to look at her, Kagome had to fight the urge to pull him back.

"I've been waiting for two months!" Inuyasha huffed. "I wasn't supposed to bother you, but I thought you'd have found us by now!"

Kagome scowled, but didn't let go of him. "First of all, why do you look human? Second, you've been in the mortal world for _two months_? Why didn't you just _tell_ me?"

Inuyasha cleared his throat. To Kagome's dismay, he was blushing.

"Because he was waiting until you graduated, of course."

They jumped apart at the sound of Kaede's voice. The woman looked exactly like Kagome remembered, except she was wearing a long-sleeved blue dress instead of the former priestess' garb.

"Grandma!" Kagome exclaimed with a smile, running to hug her. "It's so good to see you again—but _how?_ Did you arrive through the well?"

Kaede laughed as she petted Kagome's hair. "It's nice to see you too, my dear. And no, the well doesn't work anymore." Kagome felt a pang in her chest, though she already knew it. "We had to use another portal, in an abandoned theme park. Dreadful place!"

Looking from Kagome to Inuyasha, Kaede raised an eyebrow. "We have much to talk about."

* * *

The story they told Kagome was almost too good to be true.

Her friends were in the mortal world to stay.

According to Inuyasha, knowing his true name hadn't been enough to free him from Urasue. The contract was broken, so he wasn't a bathhouse employee anymore, but he still owed her for his apprenticeship. The sorceress had been teaching him magic ever since they'd met, so he had quite a debt.

"I sticked around to pay her, but learning magic isn't cheap," he said. "You'd be an old lady by the time I could come back, and that just wouldn't do." He looked away as he said that, clearly embarrassed. "I had to give her something else, something that would pay for all the years I still owed… so I gave her my demon half."

Kagome choked on her cappuccino. "What? How's that even possible?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Urasue's powerful. She was the one who taught me to make the most of my demon blood in the first place. A half-breed shouldn't have been able to turn into a dog, you know?" He smirked. "Anyway, I don't regret learning magic. I don't regret paying the price to be here now, either."

They looked deeply into each other's eyes. Kagome was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that he was human, and she already missed his ears, but…

 _He's staying. He's really staying._

Seemingly amused at something, Kaede chuckled.

Clearing her throat, the old woman said, "I myself had been thinking about coming back to the mortal world since the jewel disappeared. It doesn't bother me that I'll die now that I'm here; I wanted to see where I came from."

The thought of Kaede dying left a bitter taste on Kagome's mouth.

"There was still the matter of the Faceless Spider, of course," the priestess continued. "I couldn't leave him behind." She smiled at the man, who sat quietly to her right. "Bringing a faceless spirit to the mortal world was a bad idea, though… they're very susceptible to change. I needed him to become human, so I called in a few favors—from a few gods."

Kagome smiled at the former spirit. "I'm glad you could come too. Nobody wants to be alone, right?"

With a bit of hesitance, he nodded.

"And… How do you introduce yourself here? I mean, Faceless Spider isn't exactly…"

"He chose his own name," Inuyasha interjected, snorting. " _Naraku_. Can you believe it?"

"Don't pester him, Inuyasha," Kaede reprimanded. "Honestly, son, like your name's any better…"

"Keh."

Naraku clucked his tongue. "I do not mind the dog, Ma'am. Let him bark."

Inuyasha sent him an angry glare.

Kaede sighed. "Whenever Naraku _does_ decide to talk, the two of them bicker like children. I warned them not to do it in front of the customers, though."

"We hardly have any," Inuyasha grumbled, picking at the lace tablecloth. "I even left the kitchen when I heard the bell…"

"Was I a disappointment, then?" Kagome teased, faking hurt.

"Depends." Inuyasha winked at her. "Are you paying for that cappuccino?"

She rolled her eyes, but her smile was still in place. "Of _course_ I will!"

"It's true that not many people come here," Kaede conceded, "but we've only opened two weeks ago. We must be patient."

Kagome coughed. "Speaking of that… may I ask how you payed for everything?"

Inuyasha pointed at Naraku with his thumb. "He used to make gold pebbles, remember? We traded them. It wasn't enough to open a _bathhouse_ , but we could live with that."

"Wow." Kagome whistled. "You guys are just amazing. You already look completely at home here!"

"We had a few problems," Inuyasha confessed, exchanging a look with Naraku. "Broken a few stuff. Blocked Kaede's credit card." He sighed. "We learn fast, though. It's a matter of survival, and the three of us know a lot about that."

Kagome felt a little jealous of their bond, but she pushed it aside. Nothing could spoil her good spirits.

Kaede sighed, looking suddenly tired. "Inuyasha, I must speak with Kagome before you walk her home. Will you wait for her outside for a bit, please?"

Inuyasha sent them a suspicious look, but raised from his seat and took off his apron. Seeing his red shirt and jeans, Kagome was once again taken aback by how _normal_ he appeared.

Naraku went to the kitchen, giving Kagome and Kaede privacy to speak.

The priestess reached for Kagome's hand across the table, grabbing it with her wrinkled one. "What I want to say won't take long, child. I just want you to know why I did all this." She gestured at the shop. "It would have been a lot easier if we simply looked for jobs, but I wanted to leave something more permanent for Inuyasha and Naraku—and you, of course."

"M-Me?"

Kaede smiled at her. "You're still very young, but you are an adult. I believe you and Inuyasha want to be together, so… If the coffee shop succeeds, I'll have secured his income. If not, he could always sell his part. What I mean is, the Bottomless Pit is yours after I'm gone—and Naraku's."

Kagome's eyes burned with tears as Kaede affectionately patted her hand. Even if it were much too soon to talk about a commitment between Inuyasha and her, they had a better chance at making things work because of Kaede.

Grabbing the woman's wrinkled fingers, she tried to convey her gratitude. "I don't know what to say. 'Thank you' isn't enough, but… "

Kagome raised her head to look at the priestess. "Thank you anyway, Grandma. And you better not die on me yet; not now that we're together."

Kaede's brows scrunched up, but she was still smiling. "I'll try, dear. I'll try."

* * *

Inuyasha seemed relaxed as he walked beside Kagome to the shrine, but she could feel him looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

It made her feel good, knowing he was as aware of her as she was of him.

Kagome didn't know when she'd started imagining their reunion as something romantic, but it had happened somewhere along the way. She never thought to fight it.

 _I'm in love with him, alright… and I think he loves me too._

Hesitantly, she raised her hand a little to the side to hold his. Inuyasha's fingers jerked in surprise before he returned the gesture, but he _did_ return it.

They walked as slowly as they could, enjoying each other's quiet company, but they had to arrive at the shrine at some time.

Stopping in front of the staircase that led to her home, Kagome turned to face Inuyasha.

"Wanna see your old godly guardian?" She asked, smiling.

He seemed agitated as he regarded her. "I'd like that, but—can we sit here for a bit first?"

They climbed a few steps and sat under the shade of a tree, where the stone wasn't as hot. To Kagome's delight, Inuyasha took hold of her hand again.

He exhaled a breath, straightening his shoulders.

"I guess you already know I came back because of you. I mean, I've all but said it." He wasn't looking at her but at their laced fingers. "Time passes differently in the Spirit World, but I've lived here before, so I sort of knew—hoped—you'd be eighteen by now."

He tightened his hand around hers. Kagome smiled at his profile, encouraging him to look at her.

When he did, she saw his gray eyes looked like a stormy sky. How could the bathhouse employees have ever thought Inuyasha was unfeeling? If anything, he felt too much.

"This will sound weird to you, but I started growing normally after you came back home." He fumbled with the collar of his shirt, pulling out the subjugation beads. "I think this thing does a lot more than we thought. It connects the demon to the one who gave them the necklace in a way I can't understand, and neither can Kaede."

Kagome raised the hand he wasn't holding to touch the beads. "So you… you think you started aging with me?"

"It's the only explanation we could come up with. Maybe if I were a full demon, _you_ would have stopped aging." Inuyasha looked up at the end of the staircase. "The Goshinboku kept me from growing while I lived here, and I was supposed to age slowly in the Spirit World, but… after you left, it was like—like I became normal just to keep up with you."

Kagome felt her mouth turn dry; she couldn't speak. Anyway, what could a girl say to a boy who had literally grown up for her, given up part of his nature, and changed dimensions to see her again?

Inuyasha smiled, small and genuine. It seemed he could read her thoughts. "You don't have to feel like you owe me anything. We stay together only if you want to, got it?" He gulped. "I know I do, but if you don't…"

He couldn't be that dense, could he?

To stop him from talking nonsense (and because she really really really wanted to), Kagome cupped his cheeks and kissed him.

His chapped lips were soft, and the kiss made her forget there wasn't magic in the mortal world.

* * *

"Did you ever find that demon lord?" Kagome asked after a while. "The one who gave me the beads back then?"

Inuyasha didn't answer at first, making her think he'd fallen asleep with his chin on her shoulder.

"No," he replied lazily after a few minutes. "I smelled him near the bathhouse sometimes, but never saw him. I guess he didn't wanna be found."

Kagome frowned. "He did want to help you, though. Why else would he have given me the beads?"

Inuyasha's arms slightly squeezed her waist. "Because he thought it would be funny to have a ten-year-old human girl subjugating demons?"

She huffed. "He knew I would help you! There's no such thing as _coincidence_ in the Spirit World, Inuyasha. You know that!"

"And how would he even know we were friends?"

"Well, the guy's a lord, isn't he? He could've had an informer in the bathhouse!"

"Keh. No rich relative cares that much," Inuyasha stated, his voice muffled by her hair. It was clear he wasn't very interested in the topic.

With a sigh, Kagome gave up the argument. "If you say so."

From their spot on the staircase, they watched the people walking down the street, listening to the cacophony of the city. Nobody paid attention to the couple of teenagers sitting under a tree. The world was totally unaware of the fact that just their being there together was a miracle.

 _It's so weird_ , Kagome mused. _My life just turned upside down, but nothing's changed._

How many miracles had she and everyone else walked by without a second look? The thought was bittersweet.

"You know, Inuyasha… Mama told me the Goshinboku has been watching over my family for generations."

He hummed to show her he was listening.

"And it protected you too, before you left. Isn't it funny? It's like… like you're really coming home."

Kagome thought she could feel Inuyasha's smile, but he didn't comment.

Closing her eyes as she leaned back against him, she sent the god tree a silent thank you—and another one to Inuyasha's mother, wherever she was.

* * *

 **A/N:** It's just _so_ like Sesshomaru to help and never say anything. I know he's very ambiguous here, but you can guess why he did it, right?

Maybe Sesshomaru felt guilty because he was the reason Inuyasha jumped into the well and ended up in the bathhouse, or because he never helped his brother after their father died. He could've been trying to check on Inuyasha when he smelled him from the other side, or just passing by. It's up to you guys, really!

You know, I always thought Chihiro and Haku would meet again in a very mundane situation, so I went with a coffee shop. Kind of cliché, but I tried to give it a twist ;)

This story's very dear to me, guys. Thank you again for reading, and please, pleeease, review.


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